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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28112601">Something Wicked</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elpisdione/pseuds/elpisdione'>elpisdione</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Eventual Smut, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Protective George Weasley, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:54:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,036</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28112601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elpisdione/pseuds/elpisdione</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>WARNING: 18+ ONLY</p><p>Calla Cresswell and Leucippe Hallewell are entering their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. What they expect to be an ordinary year turns into a series of tumultuous events that will change their lives forever. As they attract the attention of two certain Weasley boys, they must come to terms with their own feelings all while discovering the dark forces that threaten the entire Wizarding World.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bill Weasley/Original Female Character(s), George Weasley/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Summer Before</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Author's Note</p><p>This fic is going to be a slow burn, and it’s going to be a mix of fluff and smut (and possibly some angst). I couldn’t choose between all these Weasley boys, so for that reason this is an OC x George Weasley fic AND an OC x Bill Weasley fic (two different OC’s just to be clear). </p><p>****<br/>I am submitting this fic to the RoyalRoad website under the username helenaacantha</p><p>First and foremost, I want to put it out there that this story is strictly 18+. Please do not read or interact if you are a minor. Although this fic will start out relatively slow, it will be going into a lot of mature themes, so for this reason I have to put the age restriction. </p><p>Second, this fic takes place during the Goblet of Fire. I mostly stick to the main events of the book, but I of course want to put my own spin on it. For the purpose of the plot, there are several things that I change, and I don’t necessarily follow the timeline exactly. A few notable things I want to point out:<br/>In my fic, students start their first year at Hogwarts at the age of 13 instead of 11. This means that students are 17-18 by the time they are in their fifth year. My two main OC’s are both 18 at the start of the fic.<br/>My main OC’s, Calla and Leucippe, are in their fifth year, George Weasley is in his sixth year, and the trio are in their fourth year (like in Goblet of Fire). </p><p>Third, there will be smut scenes in this fic, so if you don’t like that type of thing, you might not like this fic. </p><p>One final thing I want to mention, I’m a novice writer, so this isn’t gonna be perfect, but I do put a lot of work into each chapter and I try my best. (That being said, I’m open to advice and recommendations). </p><p>****<br/>Thank you to anyone who reads, comments, or votes on this story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla</p><p>The Malfoy Manor was the largest private estate I had ever encountered. The mansion loomed up ahead at the end of a very long drive that was bordered by meticulously trimmed hedges. The manor had tall dark walls and seemed to radiate an air of foreboding, as though it was trying to close itself off from outsiders. Despite its intimidating character, there was a certain majestic beauty to it, and a warm light emanated from the large windows.</p><p>I smoothed down my hair and tugged at my silk dress, questioning whether I really wanted to be here.</p><p>"Don't bite your nails, Calla," my father ordered, offering me his arm.</p><p>"Nasty habit," my mother spoke up from the other side of him.</p><p>I rolled my eyes, not responding. I took his arm and the three of us strolled up the long drive, not speaking the rest of the way. The stillness of the night was unsettling; it was as if the world was holding its breath.</p><p>I glanced at my parents, but their eyes were both fixed straight ahead as they walked. Milford and Aeliana Cresswell were stiff, unaffectionate people, not unlike the Malfoys themselves from what I had heard. Yet, they had always treated me very well.</p><p>They had also always been honest with me about my adoption. I couldn't even remember my biological parents, and although I wondered about them from time to time, the Cresswells were the only family I had ever known. I didn't always fit in with them - I had never been able to replicate the calm, refined nature of my father, nor the quiet elegance of my mother. Yet, I had followed them both into Slytherin, something I never regretted. Belonging to Slytherin had always been a point of pride for Milford and Aeliana, and truth be told, I carried that pride as well.</p><p>My father now stopped short in front of the entrance to the manor and glanced down at me with a scrutinizing look.</p><p>"Let's make sure this goes well. The Malfoys are an important family."</p><p>"If you say so," I muttered.</p><p>Looking up at the heavy oak doors, I wondered why I had agreed to come tonight. The invitation had been addressed to "The Cresswells," but I'm sure they wouldn't have missed me. My father knocked, and the door swung open. A house-elf ushered us in and squeaked, "The Malfoys will be with you shortly," before scuttling away.</p><p>The foyer was handsomely furnished. Heavy velvet curtains hung from the windows, pillars of white marble towered up to the high ceilings, and a mahogany fireplace dominated the far wall. Looking up, I saw a large ornate chandelier that glittered like ice in the light from the fire.</p><p>I stood there, mesmerized by the grandeur of the room, when the sound of echoing footsteps caught my attention. The Malfoy family descended the stairs, fitting right into their environment. Narcissa was beautiful in a cold, regal sort of way and Draco cleaned up rather nicely, though he looked about as miserable as I felt. Lucius Malfoy seemed to command the room, with his head held high and his cloak billowing behind him. My eyes widened as he approached. As soon as he stepped into the light of the fire, I could trace his features with my eyes; his defined jawline, sleek blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Was this really the father of that pale, whiny boy who was only a year below me at Hogwarts? I gulped nervously as his cool eyes met mine - his knowing smile gave me the impression that he could read my thoughts.</p><p>"Milford, so nice to see you again," he spoke, turning to my father.</p><p>God, even his voice was intoxicating.</p><p>"You as well, Lucius."</p><p>"I believe you've met my wife, Narcissa, and my son, Draco."</p><p>"Nice to see you again," my father replied, shaking their hands. "I'd like to introduce, my wife, Aeliana, and my daughter-"</p><p>"Calla," Lucius finished, his eyes settling on me again. "Of course, Draco has mentioned you a few times since you joined the Quidditch team. I've heard you're a talented Chaser."</p><p>"I'm alright, Mr. Malfoy," I replied, trying to keep my composure.</p><p>"No need for such formalities," he said, taking his hand in mine. "Call me Lucius."</p><p>I smirked slightly at him, noting his mischievous smile and the way he cocked his eyebrow.</p><p>Not long after, they led us to an equally large and ornate room, but this one had a long dining table resting on a green and silver carpet. Another fireplace was in this room as well, gradually taking the chill out of the air. Lucius and Narcissa sat on either end of the table, and I took my seat on the long side with my back to the fireplace.</p><p>A couple house-elves, including the one that had opened the door, poured red wine around the table. The wine was smooth and sweet, and it warmed my skin, bringing a flush to my face. Lucius and Milford began talking idly about a recent law put in place at the Ministry, and I drowned out the conversation.</p><p>Looking across the table, I made eye contact with Draco, who had a sulking, sullen look on his face. He nodded at me and looked back down into his glass. I wasn't particularly fond of him, but he was nice enough to me, especially compared to how he treated the Muggleborn students at Hogwarts. Not only was I in Slytherin, but I also came from a pureblood family. Well, at least it was mostly pureblood. We were also on the same Quidditch team and he wasn't half bad as a seeker - maybe not as good as Potter, but still decent.</p><p>I looked around the room, admiring the decor. Just behind Lucius, I spotted a towering long-case clock with a brass pendulum that looked to be much older than anyone in the room. The Malfoys were undoubtedly an "old money" family and from what I had heard, had been pureblood and Slytherin for as far back as anyone could remember. The Cresswells were similar in that we were mostly pureblood and Slytherin, but although we were well off, we definitely didn't come from old money. I wondered listlessly if Lucius would care about such a thing.</p><p>Focusing my eyes back from the clock, I nearly jumped in my seat at the realization that Lucius was staring directly at me. He was still talking in a low voice to Milford, but my father didn't seem to notice that Lucius had his attention elsewhere. I smiled at him, hoping the shadow cast by the fireplace wouldn't hide my face too much.</p><p>"So I hear you're going to be going to the Quidditch World Cup next week, Calla," Narcissa said politely.</p><p>Tearing my attention away from Lucius, I turned to face her, hoping she hadn't noticed my slightly agitated state.</p><p>"Er, yes, I will be," I answered a little too loudly. "I'm going with a couple friends from school."</p><p>"Draco will be there," she said. "Unfortunately, I have some business to tend to that week. But perhaps you'll run into each other there."</p><p>I glanced at Draco again, who looked rather indifferent.</p><p>"Yes, in fact, we have seats in the Top Box as an invitation from the Minister," Lucius stated casually. "You should drop by."</p><p>My eyes were drawn to him again and my heart skipped a beat as I saw him wink at me. I cleared my throat and stood up abruptly.</p><p>"Would you point me to the restroom?" I directed my question at Narcissa, but I felt Lucius's eyes on me still.</p><p>"Of course dear, just down that hall. Last door on the left."</p><p>She pointed me to a hallway just off the dining room that curved into darkness. I went the long way around the table so I could pass by Lucius. As I passed him, I dragged my index finger horizontally along his back, between his shoulder blades so that no one else could see. I felt him tense momentarily, but his conversation with Milford had resumed and he gave nothing away. I scurried down the hallway without looking back. Had I just done that? The wine had given me courage that I otherwise may not have had. What did I even expect to happen?</p><p>I stepped into the bathroom and fell against the door, pressing my hand against my racing heart. I glanced into the mirror and made an assessment. My tan was hiding the flushness that had risen to my cheeks, my long dark hair was still in place, and my dress was clean and free of lint, although it had crept up my legs a bit more than I had intended it to. I could definitely pass for being sober.</p><p>I waited a couple minutes, then I opened the door and ran directly into Lucius Malfoy. He grabbed my shoulders to steady me, and he leaned back to look me up and down with an appraising look.</p><p>"I like that dress," he said in a quiet voice.</p><p>My heart started to race again.</p><p>"Mr. Malfoy," I spoke, equally quiet.</p><p>"I told you to call me Lucius," he corrected with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. His left hand traced gently from my shoulder to my collarbone, where he fiddled absentmindedly with my necklace. I felt goosebumps rising to my skin along the path he had traced, but I was strangely warm at the same time. I looked up at him through my eyelashes and bravely took a step closer so that our bodies were almost touching.</p><p>"Lucius," I said, enunciating every syllable of his name, enjoying the way it sounded in my mouth.</p><p>"I was just on my way to the kitchen to check on the first course," he continued. He leaned in close to whisper against my ear, "You should head back. You don't know what you could run into in these halls."</p><p>He abruptly pulled back and strode the rest of the way down the hall, to where I assumed the kitchens were. I stayed pressed up against the bathroom door for another moment, shivering slightly at the feeling of his touch that still lingered on my skin. I sped down the hall in the opposite direction, back to the dining room.</p><p>The rest of the dinner was entirely uneventful, except for the handful of times when I made eye contact with Lucius, who seemed to be far more composed than I was. The mundane conversation returned to happenings at the Ministry, and Draco and I mostly remained silent.</p><p>Soon after dinner, we all gathered in the drawing room, where the house-elves poured yet more wine. I swirled mine in my glass. Lucius had begun talking about the Hogwarts sorting ceremony as the start of term was only a week away.</p><p>"Yes, well, there certainly are a fair few more Muggleborns in Slytherin nowadays than there were in my day," Narcissa was saying.</p><p>"Yes, I suppose there are," Milford said casually, downing his wine. "More friendship between the houses too. I suppose it's good for school spirit."</p><p>"You know," Lucius spoke slowly, "it wasn't long ago that there were stricter rules about that in place."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Milford asked.</p><p>"There is something to be said for... tradition," Lucius answered. "Some of these new, well, half-blood families don't quite have an appreciation for it."</p><p>My ears perked up, curious now where he was going with this.</p><p>Milford shifted uncomfortably in his seat.</p><p>"It's a shame so many families have renounced the old ways," Lucius continued.</p><p>Aeliana placed a hand on my shoulder, and whispered, "Why don't you go with Draco for a tour of the garden? Go." She gave me a little push.</p><p>I opened my mouth in protest, but Draco took my hand and led me out of the room before I could say anything.</p><p>I was fuming at my mother, but I didn't want to cause a scene. As soon as the conversation had shifted to something serious, not to mention interesting, she had ushered me out of the room. My 18th birthday had just passed. Why did my parents still treat me like a child?</p><p>Draco and I emerged into the garden, which was unsurprisingly, beautiful and meticulously cared for. He said something to me, but I hardly heard him, as thoughts whirled around my mind; thoughts of Lucius's hands on me, and thoughts of what he had just said about tradition at Hogwarts. A bone-chilling suspicion crept up my spine as I remembered how uncomfortable my father had seemed.</p><p>It occurred to me that despite the Malfoys being one of the most well-known families in the Wizarding world, I really didn't know a thing about them. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe</p><p>"Can't you see them?"</p><p>"No... Charlie, are you sure you know where you're going?"</p><p>"Of, course I'm sure..."</p><p>"Where then?"</p><p>"Past those trees. There's a small clearing."</p><p>A plume of smoke shot into the air from the dense canopy of trees. I jumped back, a scream getting caught in my throat. A rush of flames chased the smoke into the darkening sky, briefly lighting up the gloom of dusk. Deep guttural rumblings permeated through the forest from all directions, giving the impression that the source of the noise was both very far away, and very, very close. Another jet of flames soared into the air as the sounds swelled into a deafening roar. I jumped back and reflexively reached for my wand in my back pocket. Charlie threw his head back in laughter, not seeming the least bit concerned. I looked at him incredulously, worried about his sanity.</p><p>He shrugged and gave me a lopsided grin. "We're far enough away. We could get closer if you want to."</p><p>I focused on the sound, which had settled down to a low, consistent volume, and realized that it wasn't really coming from all around us, like I had thought. It was very clearly coming from the source of the smoke, which was only now dissipating into the air.</p><p>Charlie looked at me expectantly. A little breathlessly I asked, "What breed are these?"</p><p>"Romanian Longhorns. They've been endangered for a while now. There's a big problem with poachers going after them for their horns. Pretty useful as a potion ingredient."</p><p>Trying to think of a way to distract him, I rambled, "There's a similar problem with rhinos in the Muggle world-"</p><p>"Stop changing the subject," Charlie said, smirking. "Let's get a bit closer. You want to actually see them, don't you?"</p><p>"Y-yes."</p><p>Charlie nodded and gestured for me to follow him down the path. I trailed behind him, stumbling on the loose rocks and staring around wide-eyed, though there wasn't much to see from where we were. This sanctuary was the largest of its kind in the entire world, and it wasn't exactly easy for just any wizard to get into... unless of course you happened to be friends with Charlie Weasley.</p><p>Charlie threw me another glance, winking at me, before descending a steep slope that disappeared into the dark underbrush of the forest. I lost sight of the clearing up ahead, but based on the noise, I knew that the path was taking us straight to it. My heart thrummed in my chest and my breathing became more laborious as my anticipation built. Passing between two large oak trees, we emerged from the dark sanctuary of the forest out onto a flat precipice that jutted out over the clearing. Charlie led me to the edge of the crag, motioning for me to look over, though it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the sudden glare of the rising sun.</p><p>Summoning my courage, I peered over the sheer drop.</p><p>They were beautiful. The two dragons were a wonder of iridescent silver scales, flashing amber eyes and black horns that trailed down their backs and reflected the dawn light. They were larger than I ever could have imagined, a marvel of sinewy muscle and wings that could touch the heavens. The smaller one was moving around and despite her intimidating appearance, she seemed to be almost playful, biting at the small jets of flame that her larger companion emitted.</p><p>I forgot to be afraid, reaching my hand out as if I intended to touch them. I could have sworn I felt heat on the palm of my hand as I reached out towards the source of the flames. Several of the trees surrounding their clearing were freshly burnt, which was evident by the tendrils of smoke that rose from their blackened branches. Despite the heat, which was sure to be suffocating up close to the dragons, most of the shrubbery seemed to be lush and green. I wondered if there were some sort of regenerative spells used on the plants and trees to combat the sweltering heat, not to mention the actual flames. I turned to ask Charlie, but I quickly forgot my question when I saw his face. I was taken aback by the expression on his face, a combination of fierce intensity and boyish glee. We were now both lying flat on our stomachs, close to the edge of the cliff to get the best view. A gust of air rushed up toward us and flattened our hair as the smaller dragon suddenly flapped her wings at the sight of a hawk that had swooped in too low.</p><p>I looked over at Charlie, who was shaking with silent laughter. I laughed too, instinctively covering my mouth, and in that moment it occurred to me that this was the first time I truly understood why my friend had chosen this line of work.</p><p>****</p><p>Two days later, Charlie and I arrived at his childhood home, the Burrow, just as the sun was setting. It was a hot day and the end of August and the trip from Romania had been long and tiring.</p><p>Charlie and I had been friends for about a year now, ever since he became a dragonologist and moved to Romania, where I lived with my Muggle parents. My parents, Henry and Dione Hallewell, had been considerably open-minded since my letter arrived from Hogwarts, although certain things made them rather nervous, including Charlie's impromptu invitation to the largest dragon sanctuary in Europe. I had tried to protect my parents as much as possible, although there were a few things that they had learned despite my secrecy, including last year when we had a werewolf as a teacher, and the year before when a giant snake was loose in the castle, petrifying Muggleborns. Not to mention, the year before that one, when the darkest wizard in history had been hiding under the turban of our Defence against the Dark Arts professor.</p><p>Despite their worries, they had agreed to let me stay with my friend, Luna Lovegood, during the week of the Quidditch World Cup. Charlie was also returning to Britain to watch the game and to see his family before his younger brothers went back to school. He had invited me to visit the Burrow before going to the Lovegoods.</p><p>I accepted the invitation but even though I was used to spending time with Charlie, but the thought of seeing so many people who I didn't know very well all at once made my palms sweat. Thoughts of all the ways I might embarrass myself kept invading my thoughts.</p><p>The Burrow was much larger than Charlie had described it, a quaint but impressive cottage in the countryside of Devon.</p><p>"Looks like everyone's still out," Charlie said, glancing at the wall where the magical clock indicated that the other Weasleys were 'In Transit.' I breathed a sigh of relief. I still had a bit of time to prepare myself for the largest amount of social interaction I was going to have all summer. Even empty, the Burrow was filled with life, with scarves knitting themselves and a blue fire crackling in the fireplace.</p><p>"This is so nice," I said.</p><p>"Care for a tour?"</p><p>"Sure, I just need to wash up first."</p><p>"Alright, I'm just going to run my things upstairs."</p><p>Charlie pointed me to the washroom off the main living area, where I splashed cool water on my face, trying to wake myself up after having fallen asleep on the train. I stared into the mirror, trying to smooth down my light wavy hair, which had become frizzy in the humidity. I finally gave up on it and returned to the living room, where I stopped short. A man, who was definitely not Charlie, was standing in the middle of the room, fiddling with a small suitcase on the coffee table. He turned when he heard me come out, and cocked his eyebrow, tilting his head inquisitively at me.</p><p>I recognized him as Bill Weasley, whom I had never officially met, although I had seen a few pictures of him; I also knew that he had been in his last year at Hogwarts, while I had been in my first year.</p><p>Bill resembled Charlie in some ways, with his copper hair and freckled skin, and they both had a distinctively rugged appearance, although Bill's looked a bit more refined in some ways. He was also taller and leaner, with slightly longer hair that brushed his broad shoulders.</p><p>"Bill," Charlie greeted him, running down the stairs and slapping Bill on the back. "Nice to see you. You need a haircut. Have you met my friend, Ms. Leucippe Hallewell?"</p><p>"Charlie," he greeted, hugging him back. "And Leucippe. Nice to meet you."</p><p>I smiled awkwardly at him.</p><p>Up close, I could see that he looked discernibly more surly and serious than Charlie, giving the impression that he was quite a bit older than his younger brother, though I knew they were only a couple years apart in age. He wore a button-down shirt, with rolled-up sleeves that revealed leather cuffs on his wrists, and a dragon tooth earring dangled from one ear. Bill would probably be quite handsome if it weren't for his steely expression that made his features seem overly harsh.</p><p>Putting a hand on Charlie's shoulder, he said, "How've you been. Doing okay?"</p><p>"Yeah, just working a lot," Charlie said, shrugging.</p><p>Bill nodded. "I'm just dropping by for a moment to pick something up. I have to head back to the Ministry tonight to deal with some business."</p><p>"Mum and Dad are almost back. Sure you don't want to wait for them?"</p><p>"I'll see them tomorrow morning. I really need to get going," he insisted.</p><p>"Must be important. You're starting to sound like Percy."</p><p>Bill smiled slightly at Charlie's jab and said, "We'll catch up later, yeah?"</p><p>After I was sure he was gone, I turned to Charlie and raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>"He's a good bloke, and usually pretty friendly, just a lot on his mind right now," Charlie shrugged, answering the question that I hadn't spoken aloud.</p><p>"Didn't you tell me he got a new job or something this year?" I tried to keep my voice casual, not wanting to seem too nosy.</p><p>"Yeah, he starts next week, technically. Been stressing him out, I reckon," Charlie responded, pushing his hands into his pockets and rocking slightly back and forth on his feet.</p><p>"So what kind of job is it?"</p><p>"Oh, that's top secret," Charlie said, winking. "It's sort of a favour to Dumbledore."</p><p>"A favour to Dumbledore?" I echoed.</p><p>"Actually, I'm helping him out too this year," Charlie said, proudly.</p><p>I rolled my eyes. Charlie could talk about Hungarian Horntails and Peruvian Vipertooths for hours on end, but he had a knack for neglecting to mention things that were actually relevant.</p><p>"Well, come on, I won't tell," I pleaded.</p><p>"Alright, fine. So I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but some stuff is going to be happening at Hogwarts this year."</p><p>"What does that even mean?"</p><p>"I just think it's going to be an interesting year at Hogwarts," he grinned smugly</p><p>"I was almost killed by a giant snake two years ago. How much more interesting can it get?" I quipped. Something else occurred to me. "Hang on... you work with dragons. What exactly are you going to be doing at Hogwarts this year?"</p><p>Charlie was now smiling from ear to ear, seeming to enjoy withholding information. But it's not like Dumbledore was crazy enough to let a dragon into the Hogwarts grounds.</p><p>Or is he? I reconsidered.</p><p>"Please, just tell me," I said, sounding more whiny than I intended.</p><p>"Okay, okay, fine," he laughed, putting his hands up in mock surrender. "Just keep it to yourself though, deal?"</p><p>I nodded.</p><p>"Ever heard of the Triwizard Tournament?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Suspicions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla</p><p>The portkey itself was nothing more than an old brown leather boot. It was inconspicuous enough, sitting there in the rippling grass, though I had had enough experiences with portkeys to feel a sense of growing trepidation as we approached it. My eyes were heavy with a sleep that I hadn't quite shaken off yet, but I felt the excitement of the coming day as potently as ever. Our conversation had died down as soon as we had turned the corner on the well-trodden path, all of us spotting the portkey at the same moment. I exchanged nervous glances with my friends, Cinxia Fawley, Rheya Parkinson, and Damion Avery. We shared a fit of uneasy laughter, except for Cinxia, who rolled her eyes and strode up the last few feet up the hill. Wiping my eyes, I followed her, with Rheya and Damion not far behind.</p><p>"Well?" I finally pressed, not wanting to delay the inevitable any longer.</p><p>"You first, Calla," Rheya whispered, nudging me forward.</p><p>"We all have to go together. Haven't you done this before?" Damion inquired.</p><p>"Let's just go, it's almost time," I interrupted, glancing at my watch.</p><p>We grabbed the edges of the boot.</p><p>"Ready? Okay. Three... two... one!"</p><p>The world fell out from under my feet. I squeezed my eyes shut against the dizzying whirlwind of colour and rushing wind as the jerking sensation at the base of my stomach pulled me forward with an unyielding strength. I gripped the boot as tightly as I could, even though that wasn't strictly necessary. Rhey and Damion were on either side of me, their arms tensed and their hair flying wildly in my face.</p><p>My feet hit the ground, and my knees buckled. Losing my balance, my shoulder made contact with the rocky surface, making my teeth rattle in my skull. Gasping for air, I finally staggered to my feet, pulling Rheya with me. Damion was hunched over, while Cinxia stood watching us, one hand on her hip and an impatient smirk on her face. Her short, dark hair had already been smoothed out, and she looked unbothered by the ordeal.</p><p>"Names?" A voice piped up from behind us.</p><p>I turned and saw a small witch with greying hair and thick bifocals, holding out a scroll of parchment toward us. Next to her tattered leather shoes, a box of used portkeys sat benignly on a mound of dirt.</p><p>I took a moment to regain my senses and take in the surrounding scenery. Flat rolling moors led to a dark forest that lay to the north, while the direction behind the old witch led to a sprawling field of tents and makeshift camps, though the thick fog made it difficult to distinguish anything clearly. Even further beyond that, supposedly sat the old wooden Quidditch stadium, impossible to see through the mist.</p><p>"Names?" The witch inquired again, tapping her parchment.</p><p>"It should be under Calla Cresswell," I said, finally letting go of a still-dazed Rheya.</p><p>"Cresswell... Cresswell...," the witch muttered, rolling out the parchment. "Ah, yes. If you'll just follow the center path, you'll find your camp in the first field, a little less than a quarter mile that way."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>Cinxia strutted past me, tossing the portkey into the box with the others. Damion's frame was still keeled forward, his short dark dreads almost brushing the ground. Rheya still looked a bit disoriented, and her frizzy auburn hair lay in tangles and knots. She was slender and almost as tall as Damion, but she had a tendency to slump, especially when she stood next to me or Cinxia as we were both a bit short.</p><p>Within a half hour, we had paid the Muggle campsite owner in his little cottage that sat at the edge of the field. It was clear from his dazed expression that he had been Obliviated several times already, no doubt to ease his suspicion about the throngs of wizards arriving in their strange garb and talking about anything to do with Quidditch.</p><p>Minutes later, we reached our campsite, a small clearing just off the main path, and crowded in by surrounding tents. The paths were teeming with witches and wizards, house-elves, cats, and other beings, while owls swooped overhead, rushing letters back and forth. Children were running and baying with laughter, tossing bludgers back and forth. A group of young wizards were flying on their broomsticks, just a few feet over the tallest tents, whooping with excitement. Merchants and street peddlers pushed trolleys through the crowds, itching to sell their goods to the witches and wizards who had arrived with their pockets full, eager to spend every sickle. I could hear mothers shrilly berating their children, wizards shouting out to place bets, teenagers raucously laughing as they set off small fireworks. Others were chatting about the Quidditch game, greeting old friends, exchanging gifts, and hassling with merchants. Over the noise of the crowds, the sound of harp strings, drums, and flutes rose from groups of musicians huddled around fireplaces.</p><p>This was the largest gathering of wizards and witches that I had ever seen, and the morning sun was finally soaking up the mist to reveal even more tents and crowds of people.</p><p>"Well, here it is!" Damion threw open the entrance to our relatively small but impeccably neat tent.</p><p>"I'm so glad our parents let us all get our own tent together," Cinxia sighed. "I was ready to pull my hair out being cooped up with them in their vacation home."</p><p>"We're going into our fifth year at Hogwarts, we don't need to be supervised every minute of the day," I said, tossing my bag onto one of the bottom bunks.</p><p>I took a moment to sit down on the bunk bed, while Damion and Rheya crowded into the kitchen area to hunt down some food. The tent was of course a bit bigger on the inside. There were two sets of bunk beds up against the far wall, an old couch and coffee table on the carpeted floor in the middle of the room, and a small kitchen area in the corner. There was even a bookshelf with dusty volumes and fraying pamphlets on the opposite corner. The sound of the crowd was muffled in here, but as loud as ever.</p><p>A cool breeze suddenly rushed through the tent doors as a large grey owl with a piece of parchment clamped in its beak flew in. The owl landed next to me and plopped the letter on my face. The other three were arguing in the kitchen, trying to decide who should go out and get some food, not noticing the disturbance.</p><p>I unfolded the parchment, which had only the words, "Fancy a cuppa? -Leu" and a poorly drawn cup of tea scribbled on the center of the page. Another piece of parchment fell out, which contained a hastily drawn map, showing how to get to her campsite.</p><p>Getting up, I called out, "I'm going to go say hi to someone. I won't be long." I paused for a moment then added, "Anyone want to come?"</p><p>"That depends," Cinxia answered. "Who are you going to go see?"</p><p>Gritting my teeth, I said, "Leucippe."</p><p>"Leucippe Hallewell? That Ravenclaw girl that hangs around Loony Lovegood? Nah, I'm good, man," Damion scoffed while the two girls shook their heads.</p><p>"Right, like you're so normal," I huffed.</p><p>Still fuming, I left the tent with the owl perched on my arm. I sent it up into the air before joining the steady trickle of wizards strolling down the path.</p><p>The air of exclusivity that my fellow Slytherins had always had still made me feel uneasy, even after witnessing it for so many years. It was becoming more and more of a bother to me the older I got. Over my time at Hogwarts, I had made friends from each of the houses, including Leucippe. I enjoyed their company, and their welcoming attitude, which was a pleasant change of pace compared to my Slytherin companions, who relished their pureblood status. Their families were ancient and came from old money. Their families were well established and highly esteemed in the United Kingdom's wizarding community, with ties and connections deeply embedded into the operations and politics of the Ministry of Magic. They lived on vast estates in large mansions that had stood for generations upon generations. They liked their exclusive status.</p><p>Just like the Malfoys, I thought. It was only a week ago that I had gone with my parents to the Malfoy manor, and the time that had passed had done nothing to abate my confusion. I questioned whether there really had been anything between me and Lucius. Had I imagined the whole thing? Maybe I just drank too much? His comments about Muggleborns and Half-blood families had been on my mind as well. How Draco felt about Muggleborns was no secret - I supposed he must have gotten that attitude from somewhere.</p><p>Deeply lost in thought, a long hand clamped tightly around my upper arm jerked me back to reality. I gasped as I was pulled backward and off the main path. I stopped short in front of a tall wizard, with a pointed beard and a black flat cap. He looked to be a few years older than me and was leering down, uncomfortably close.</p><p>"Hello, love. Great day for a Quidditch game, isn't it?"</p><p>"Right, mind letting go?" I snapped, getting my bearings.</p><p>The strange man grinned, but dropped my arm. He held up a few silver chains, inlaid with various gemstones and crystals. He was just a street peddler trying to sell some jewellery. I breathed a sigh of relief. We were just off the main path, clearly visible to the crowds of people, but still a feeling of unease was telling me to get out of there. He looked at me speculatively for a moment, then motioned to his cart, which was stacked with chains, jewels, crystals, rings, all in different metals, gold, silver, bronze, iron.</p><p>"Fancy something pretty to wear for the game? Let me guess... Slytherin, right?"</p><p>I shifted uneasily at his correct guess and crossed my arms.</p><p>He set down the three chains he had been holding and picked up an emerald and silver brooch. Who wears brooches anyway?</p><p>"Something like this? The colours suit you."</p><p>Shaking my head, I tried to take a step back into the crowd. The street peddler's hand struck out again, grabbing me by the wrist, with more aggression this time. His leering smile grew wider and the malevolent gleam in his eyes became more obvious, despite the shadow cast upon his face by his hat.</p><p>"Hey!" I protested, trying to pull back.</p><p>"Come on. You can say it's an old family heirloom. That way people won't know you're a Mudblood."</p><p>I froze. My blood ran cold, and my heart pounded in my chest. His casual use of that word Mudblood sent a chill up my spine. Forcing myself to relax my facial features, I scowled at him.</p><p>"Not that it's any of your business, but my family is pureblood," I snapped. "I don't need any more family heirlooms, and I definitely don't need any fake ones."</p><p>He didn't even reply. He gripped my wrist even tighter and continued grinning in that malicious way. Just when I had resolved to kick him in the shins as hard as I could, a gentle but firm hand fell on my shoulder. I looked up at the hand's owner and was met with a familiar face. George Weasley.</p><p>I opened my mouth to say something, but the look on George's face made my breath hitch in my throat. A stony expression replaced his normally friendly demeanor, and he exuded an air of concentrated rage aimed at the street peddler.</p><p>The street peddler dropped my wrist.</p><p>"Is there a reason you're bothering my friend?" George asked in a forced casual way, but the look on his face betrayed his voice.</p><p>There was a strained moment of tense silence; I could hear the blood rushing in my ears and the noise from the crowd seemed to be very far away.</p><p>The street peddler tipped his hat.</p><p>"Just trying to make a sale, mate," he laughed.</p><p>He still looked a bit shifty and nervous in front of George, but the sense of malevolence he had been giving off all but vanished. I had seen George on the Quidditch field many times, but I hadn't realized how bloody intimidating he could be. Without moving, I glanced down and saw his other hand clenched into a tight fist. Tipping his hat again, the street peddler grabbed his cart and hastily pushed his way back into the crowd, disappearing quickly without a trace.</p><p>I let out a sigh of relief and looked up at George. Without the agitation of the last couple minutes to distract me, I noticed how close he was standing, his chest brushing my shoulders. He was at least a foot taller than me, and I had to take a step back to see him properly. His hand dropped away from my shoulder and his face settled back into his usual friendly expression.</p><p>"Alright there, Calla?" he smiled, so much more warmly than the street peddler had. It was hard to believe that two different smiles could produce such different effects.</p><p>"Fine, thanks."</p><p>"Not lost, are you?"</p><p>"No, really, I'm fine, I'm just visiting a friend. Leucippe. I think you know her," I added before stopping myself, realizing I was rambling.</p><p>He looked around, then brought his hand up to push his hair back.</p><p>"Do you... want me to walk you there?" he asked, hesitantly.</p><p>I smiled and said, "thank you, but really it's not far from here."</p><p>A voice called out from a bit further down the path: "Oy mate, let's go, there're bets to be made!"</p><p>I spotted Fred Weasley, George's twin, waving at him over the crowd.</p><p>"See you around then," George winked at me, before heading off to rejoin his brother.</p><p>I knew George a bit through his younger brother, Ron, and I had also faced off against his team during school Quidditch matches a few times, but I didn't really know him all that well. Of course, everyone knew the Weasley twins, at least by reputation. Their infamous pranks had gotten them into trouble countless times, and they were fan favourites among the student population at Hogwarts.</p><p>I watched him and his brother walk away until I could no longer make out their copper hair and tall frames in the crowd. Feeling strangely exhilarated, I took off in the opposite direction.</p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe</p><p>Hovering over the old oak desk, I pondered the parchments spread out in front of me, my thoughts flitting restlessly back and forth. </p><p>Do I take Ancient Runes or Arithmancy? I was already signed up to take Ancient runes, but Arithmancy might be more of a challenge. I squeezed my eyes shut against the glare that was pouring into the tent. Ancient Runes or Arithmancy?</p><p>I couldn’t focus. The last conversation I had had with Charlie was playing over and over in my head like a broken record player. </p><p>“Leucippe, your head is full of wrackspurts right now. Did you know?” a soft voice spoke up from behind me. </p><p>Luna Lovegood was wearing her spectrespecs again, and looking at me inquisitively, her head tilted in curiosity as though I were an interesting experiment. She had a tendency to make people feel a little uneasy, but I was used to her, although I wished she would stop talking about wrackspurts. </p><p>“It’s alright, Luna, I’m used to them. Just trying to work out my schedule.”</p><p>“I’m glad we’re taking Care of Magical Creatures together this year,” she smiled dolefully. “I hope we get to learn about Nargles. They’re terribly fascinating creatures.” </p><p>“I think I’m going to step outside for a minute,” I interrupted. </p><p>Luna gave me a look that told me she somehow knew more than I had told her. I strode out of the Lovegoods’ tent before she could say anymore. </p><p>Deciding that a short walk was exactly what I needed, I began marching through the busy path up towards the Muggles’ cottage at the top of the hill. The tent where Luna was staying was far from the center of the commotion, so the paths weren’t too busy here. Thank God for that, I thought. </p><p>Charlie’s voice drifted into my mind again.</p><p>“Look, I’m not telling you not to go back to Hogwarts or anything,” he had said. “I’m just telling you to be careful.”</p><p>“That’s rich coming from you.”</p><p>“What is that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“When have you ever been careful about anything?”</p><p>Recent stirrings at the Ministry had caused this uncharacteristic nervousness in Charlie. I tried to take it with a grain of salt, however, as Charlie didn’t even work at the Ministry; he had being hearing news from Bill and Arthur about people who were suspected of being Death Eaters. </p><p>I wasn’t completely unrealistic. There had been sporadic cases of Death Eater activity since the war - a war that happened 13 years ago that I could hardly remember. </p><p>“Anyway,” Charlie had finally said, having the last say on the matter before the other Weasleys had arrived at the Burrow, “I’m going to be visiting Hogwarts to help with the Tournament’s first task. So I’ll be able to check on you…” </p><p>I didn’t need to be checked on, I quietly asserted to myself, wanting to believe it. </p><p>Forcing myself back into the present, I stopped short in front of the Muggle cottage that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. Voices were coming from around the corner. Slowly and deliberately, I crept up to the side of the house, my curiosity getting the better of me. </p><p>I crouched down against the side of the cottage, listening to the two people bickering, and recognized them as the Roberts’ couple. Muggles.</p><p>“Obliviate.”</p><p>A third voice. I peeked around the corner and saw a Ministry wizard whom I didn’t recognize, pointing a wand at the Muggles.  He spun around and Disapparated, leaving the Roberts’ standing there with dazed expressions. </p><p>What was the point in doing that to them so often? I wondered. </p><p>I continued my walk, strolling past the cottage, and resolving to make it to the top of the hill. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the top. The sound of the crowd was far away here, and the scenery was beautiful. The winds were rolling in over the hills, bringing with it the promise of a cool autumn. Tall blades of grass, still sweating with morning dew, danced gracefully amongst themselves in anticipation of the coming season. </p><p>I had to head back soon. Setting my sights back on the cottage, I strolled back down the hill, glad that no one was around to see me stumbling on the loose rocks. </p><p>The sound of voices made its way up the hill to me. It was probably Mr. and Mrs. Roberts quarreling again. I approached, conscious of the fact that I was wearing Wizard’s cloaks and not wanting to alarm them further. Coming around the corner, however, I saw two wizards behind the cottage, probably from the Ministry by the looks of them. They seemed to be deep in conversation. </p><p>Eavesdropping is going to get me killed one of these days, I thought to myself as I made a dash to the side of the cottage while their backs were turned, in order to get up closer and hear better. The wind had picked up and I could only catch stray words and sentences. </p><p>“- must happen tonight -”</p><p>“It’s too soon.”</p><p>“Now is the time to -” </p><p>A gust of wind completely drowned out the rest of his sentence. Then, I heard something that made my blood curdle. </p><p>“For the Dark Lord.”</p><p>Frozen in place, I felt panic coursing through my veins. I needed to see who was talking. I forced myself to take a few more steps and look around the corner. Lucius Malfoy was speaking to a shifty-looking man I didn’t recognize. Malfoy’s lips were curled back into a snarl and his eyes flashed dangerously, but the other man didn’t seem the least bit intimidated.</p><p>He leaned closer to Malfoy, and I had to strain to hear. “Remember where your loyalties lie, Lucius.” </p><p>The man Disapparated on the spot, leaving Malfoy looking angrier than ever. He began walking right in my direction. I suppressed a gasp and stumbled backwards, not wanting to be spotted. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I ran along the side of the house until I reached the front. I reached the front corner, and just as I looked back to see if Malfoy had seen me, I tripped over a tree root, sprawling onto the stone path. Casting a glance behind me, I saw Malfoy round the corner and his eyes met mine. I didn’t move. He sneered down at me in disgust and whisked away, marching quickly down the hill, his black cloak trailing behind him like a dark cloud.</p><p>I collapsed in relief. He had seen me lying down on the floor next to the Muggle cottage looking like an idiot, but at least he didn’t know I had been eavesdropping. </p><p>I waited a few minutes to be sure that he was gone, then finally lifted myself up and ran back to the Lovegoods’ tent. I stopped right outside the tent, unsure of what to do next. Luna’s calm demeanor would only exacerbate my nerves right now. I needed to talk to someone else. I thought for a moment before heading inside and grabbing a quill and a piece of parchment. A minute later, my grey owl, Nike, swooped out of the tent to deliver my message. </p><p>I waited outside. Several minutes later, my friend, Calla Cresswell, came down the crowded path, looking flustered and distracted. I had seen her once over the summer and we had been exchanging letters back and forth as well. </p><p>“Calla!” I called, waving her over. </p><p>She spotted me, sitting down in front of the Lovegoods’ tent and made her way over. Calla was a short girl with long brown hair that tumbled down her shoulders in soft waves, and bright determined eyes. She greeted me and sat down. </p><p>“Nice to see you,” I began. “Okay, first of all, there’s no tea. Sorry I lied, I just had something to tell you.” </p><p>“Seriously?” she asked, rolling her eyes. “I was literally harassed on my way over here, and you don’t even have tea?” </p><p>“Yeah, sorry - Wait, what?” </p><p>Calla launched into an explanation about what had happened on the short walk from her tent, describing a creepy street peddler that had tried to grab her and coerce her into buying something. </p><p>“It really spooked me. And then… well, someone came along and helped me get away from him,” she finished, blushing.</p><p>“Well, that’s lucky. Who helped you?” I asked.</p><p>“George Weasley.” </p><p>“Oh, I just saw him last week when I was at the Burrow. He and Fred tried to sell me something called ‘Puking Pastilles.’”  </p><p>“I have something else to tell you. Something important. I didn’t want to discuss it in a letter in case someone saw it,” Calla said, the inflection in her voice changing. </p><p>By the time she finished telling me what had occurred at the Malfoy manor just two weeks ago, my jaw was on the floor. </p><p>“But he’s old,” I said stupidly. </p><p>“That’s your takeaway? He made a pass at me, with his wife sitting one room over, and then started talking about the importance of ‘pureblood’ tradition at Hogwarts!”</p><p>I was so distracted by everything she had just told me, I almost forgot to tell her about what I had seen. </p><p>“I would stay away from Lucius if I were you.” </p><p>“Any particular reason?” She sounded annoyed.</p><p>I briefly explained what I had heard by the Muggle cottage only minutes ago. </p><p>Calla looked pensive and breathed a sigh of frustration. </p><p>“Okay, if you keep eavesdropping on people, you’re going to get killed.”</p><p>“Got it.”</p><p>“Secondly… it’s possible he was just talking to a coworker from the Ministry,” she said, but she shifted uncomfortably, her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought. </p><p>“I guess.”</p><p>We sat there together for several minutes, not saying anything. The noise from the crowd ebbed and flowed, but it hardly registered with me.  </p><p>“We should probably get ready for tonight,” I finally said. “I’m sure I’ll see you there.”</p><p> Calla and I hugged goodbye, and I made my way back into the tent to fetch Luna. </p><p>****</p><p>If I thought the fields of wizards, tents and makeshift cabins had been impressive, it was nothing compared to the completely full Quidditch stadium. I had never seen so many wizards in one place before, and the roar of the crowd was deafening. The lights lining the stadium were blinding, and flags from Ireland and Belgium were rippling in the wind from every podium. </p><p>“Leucippe!” </p><p>I turned around and saw Charlie grinning toothily at me. I smiled back and hugged him, conscious of the fact that all the other Weasleys had turned to look over at Charlie’s shout. </p><p>The seats that Luna and I had were all the way at the top, right next to the Weasleys, not-so-coincidentally. I spotted Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Lee Jordan amongst the Weasley clan. Hermione greeted me warmly and immediately began talking animatedly about the study schedule she had made for herself over the summer. She was the only one I knew outside of Ravenclaw who took studying more seriously than me. </p><p>I looked behind her and saw Bill, his dark eyes scanning the rows of seats below. He turned his head and my stomach twisted into knots when I made eye contact with him. I looked away quickly, not wanting to be seen. He didn’t seem to like me very much when I had met him briefly at the Burrow the week before. He hadn’t even returned later that night with the rest of the Weasleys; I had left for Luna’s house before he came back.</p><p>“So what do you think?” Hermione was saying. </p><p>I hadn’t heard what she had said. I opened my mouth, not knowing what I planned to say, when something swooped low, directly over all of our heads. The Irish team zoomed out into the stadium, soaring past the rings on the far side and passing close to the rows of chanting people. The crowd erupted into applause as white, green, and orange sparks flew into the air from all sides. </p><p>I could just barely make out the sound of the Weasley twins shouting out in excitement. </p><p>“It’s the Irish! There’s Troy!”</p><p>“And Mullet!”</p><p>“And Moran!” </p><p>Just as the crowd’s chanting of the word “Ireland” was increasing in volume, the colours of the fireworks changed to black, yellow and red and seven figures in red cloaks flew in, scattering the Irish team. </p><p>“Here come the Bulgarians!” </p><p>The image of one of the Belgium players was projected over the crowd with the word “Krum” splayed in large letters. I knew little about Quidditch, but I knew Viktor Krum was one of the best seekers the world had seen in years. He was much younger than I thought he would be; he radiated intense determination as he thrust his fist into the air, shouting along with the rest of the crowd. </p><p>Although everyone was watching Krum, I couldn’t help my eyes from wandering to the Top Box, where I knew the Malfoys would be seated. I had my suspicions, but no concrete facts, so there was nothing I could do. Learning about Calla’s encounter with Lucius had disturbed me a great deal.</p><p>All I could hope was that she wouldn’t do anything stupid.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Death Eaters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla</p><p>The Quidditch Game was incredible. The players moved so fast that it was hard to follow them; I had never seen a game so intense and dangerous. At one point, a Bulgarian beater had sent the Irish Keeper reeling through the hoop and into the crowd. (What I wouldn’t give to see that happen to Oliver Wood one of these days.) The Bulgarian seeker, Viktor Krum had caught the snitch, allowing the Irish to win, but on his own terms. </p><p>Cinxia, Rheya, Damion and I were descending the stairs after the game. We happened to be seated next to a large group of young Irish men who were getting increasingly rowdy. </p><p>“Look,” Rheya said. “We’re passing by the Minister’s box.”</p><p>She pointed to the large platform just off the staircase. I spotted a flash of blond hair over the heads of the Irish men. </p><p>“Let’s go,” I said, grabbing Rheya’s hand, trying not to be spotted. </p><p>“Calla.” </p><p>He had seen me. I tried to gage whether I could get away by pretending I hadn’t heard, but one of the Irish boys was keeled over and his friends, who were now making fun of him, were completely blocking the staircase. </p><p>“Who is that?” Cinxia asked, looking Lucius up and down with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. </p><p>“Lucius Malfoy,” I answered, gulping. “Draco’s father.” </p><p>“Well,” she said. “It looks like he wants to see you.”</p><p>I reluctantly followed Cinxia towards the Minister’s box. </p><p>Lucius smiled at me, looking devilishly handsome in the lights from the stadium. I tried to remind myself that I couldn’t trust him. </p><p>“So nice to see you again,” he said. </p><p>Cinxia looked at me expectantly, and I stuttered, trying to find my words. “Hello, Mr. Malfoy… and Draco,” I added, nodding at Draco, standing a few feet away. “Uh, this is my friend, Cinxia Fawley.” </p><p>“So nice to meet you,” she said, grasping his hand and batting her eyelashes at him. </p><p>I rolled my eyes as he smiled politely at her. </p><p>“And this is Rheya Parkinson and....” I said, trailing off, not seeing Damion. </p><p>“Ah, yes, Ms. Rheya. Your father works in the Department of Magical Law, doesn’t he? He’s doing well from what I’ve heard.”</p><p>“Y-yes, he’s begun working with Barty Crouch,” she answered, flicking her eyes away. </p><p>Lucius looked down at Draco and gave him a bit of a shove. “Don’t be rude, Draco,” he sneered. </p><p>Draco miserably stepped forward and addressed us half-heartedly. “Nice to see you all,” he said. “Er, I’ll be having some friends over later if… any of you want to join. The silver and green tent in the north field.” </p><p>I nodded and mumbled a thanks. I looked up and jumped when I realized that Lucius had been staring at me for the entire conversation. </p><p>“We really best be going, Draco,” he said, still not breaking eye contact. </p><p>“It was nice to see you again,” I said, my voice squeaking. I quickly turned to Cinxia and Rheya, finally free of Lucius’s powerful gaze. “Come on, we need to find Damion.” </p><p>“Isn’t that him, flirting with one of those Irish guys?” Rheya said, pointing. </p><p>Before we headed out, a flash of silver caught my eye. I looked down at my feet and saw a pair of intricately embellished Omniculars. </p><p>I picked them up and examined them. </p><p>“They must be Draco’s,” I said, spotting the initials on the side. </p><p>“We can return them later,” Cinxia said. “Come on, let’s grab Damion and get out of here.” </p><p>****</p><p>Back at our tent, Damion attempted to start a fire in the pit using Muggle matches, and finally gave up, using his wand to create blue flames. </p><p>The paths were teeming with people who were becoming increasingly boisterous and drunk. At one point, I even spotted Professor Flitwick with his family, smiling and pink-faced. </p><p>I took a long sip of the firewhiskey that Rheya had reluctantly snuck out of her father’s liquor cabinet. The night air was chilling my bones, but the liquor warmed me up and made everything seem twice as funny. </p><p>“I’ve never met Lucius Malfoy before today,” Cinxia said. “I had heard that he was quite handsome, but I mean… wow!” </p><p>“Personally, he’s not really my type,” Damion said, eyeing the Irish boy he had met earlier, and who just so happened to be staying in the tent across from us. </p><p>In fact, I could scarcely hear Damion and Cinxia over the raucous sound of the boys drunkenly chanting “Ireland” over and over. I glanced at Rheya, who, to my disbelief, had fallen asleep in her chair, with a half-full cup of firewhiskey still in her hand. </p><p>“I’m going to be right back,” Damion said abruptly, seeing his Irish boy waving him over. </p><p>“Damion, do not leave us!” Cinxia said, but he waved her off. </p><p>“Just a minute,” he answered, tripping over his chair on his way over. </p><p>When he was out of earshot, Cinxia leaned over towards me, tilting her head. </p><p>“So, Calla,” she said, in that voice that told me she was definitely up to something. “I think you and Draco would be perfect together. I mean, I know he’s a little young but, I feel like his level of maturity would go really well with yours.” </p><p>“I don’t think so,” I said, hoping she didn’t see the guilt on my face. I hadn’t told Cinxia about what had happened between me and Lucius, and I didn’t plan to. </p><p>“Are you sure? It’s just that it’s been so long since you’ve dated anyone…” she continued, checking her nails. </p><p>I rolled my eyes and didn’t reply. </p><p>“Draco’s not too bad to look at,” she said. “Besides, I think it’s time you made a reassessment of your… standards,” she continued, whispering the last word. </p><p>Draco, I thought. Glancing down at my feet and seeing the Omniculars, I found my excuse to leave. </p><p>I stood up, and the ground swayed slightly under my feet. </p><p>“I think I’m going to go return these,” I said, holding up the Omniculars. </p><p>“Okay, good luck,” she said, smirking. </p><p>I shook my head and made my way down the path to the North field. Passing by the spot where the street peddler had stopped me, a flash of fear coursed through me. I had almost forgotten about that. The way he had said the word, Mudblood, still chilled me even now. Maybe he had just been joking? Was I exaggerating everything in my head? I rubbed at my wrist, feeling the ghost of his imprints from when he had grabbed me. I hurried away from the spot, not looking back.  </p><p>Once in the North field, I looked around and found two green and silver tents, both significantly larger than all the ones surrounding them. I stood in front of both of them, trying to figure out which one was Draco’s as they were identical. Shrugging, I chose the tent on the right, approaching it gingerly. </p><p>“Hello?” I called from outside. </p><p>Not hearing a response, I poked my head inside the tent.</p><p>“Draco?” I said. </p><p>My jaw dropped as soon as I saw the inside of the tent. It was nowhere near the size of the Malfoy manor, but it was immense compared to the tent I was sharing with my friends. Lavish throw rugs covered the ground and dark wood furniture was placed meticulously all around the tent. </p><p>It’s just showing off at this point, I thought to myself. </p><p>“I was hoping you’d stop by.” </p><p>I jumped at the deep voice behind me. I spun around and Lucius Malfoy caught my wrist, pulling me close to him. Just how he’d done a week ago at the manor.</p><p>“I-I’m sorry,” I sputtered, holding up the Omniculars. “I just wanted to return these to Draco.”</p><p>“I’m sure he’ll be most appreciative,” Lucius said, releasing my wrist. “Now that you’re here, why don’t you stay and have a drink?” </p><p>Even now his voice captivated me. My head felt like it was swimming and the firewhiskey was still warming my core, bringing a flush to my skin. </p><p>“Okay, maybe just one drink,” I heard myself say.</p><p>A quick sweep of room informed me that we were alone. Draco and his friends must be in the other tent. Not even the Malfoys’ house-elf was here. </p><p>Lucius came back with two glasses of rose-coloured wine. </p><p>“To Ireland,” he said, holding his glass up. </p><p>I tentatively raised the glass to my lips and took a small sip. I squirmed slightly under his intense gaze, taking a few more sips to avoid looking at him. </p><p>“I really better get going,” I whispered, setting my glass down. </p><p>Lucius set his glass down next to mine and brought his hand to the small of my waist, backing me up a few steps until my legs hit the back of the couch. </p><p>“Are you sure you want to go?”</p><p>Without warning, he brought his head down and pressed his lips to mine. Taken by surprise, I kissed him back as his other hand gripped my waist, pressing my body into his roughly. My hands flew to his hair on their own accord, and I just barely suppressed a whimper as he bit my bottom lip. </p><p>His hands left my waist, travelling down to the backs of my thighs, and I felt myself being swiftly lifted so that I was now sitting on the back of the couch. He pulled away for a moment, smirking at me before lowering his head again and trailing his mouth down to my neck. I clutched at his shoulders, trying to keep my balance as he pulled at my hair, forcing me to tilt my head to the side to give him better access. He roughly kissed my neck, focusing on a sensitive spot just below my ear. I shivered; the liquor was heightening my senses, yet slowing everything down at the same time. </p><p>Lucius brought his hands down to my knees and nudged them to the side so he could press himself up between my legs. I gasped at the sudden exposure, feeling myself blush at the realization that I could feel him through his trousers. </p><p>What is happening? </p><p>I turned my head to the side as he kissed my lips. </p><p>“Don’t tease me, girl,” he growled. </p><p>His body felt strong and solid as he loomed over me, and his muscles were tense and hard under my hands. He yanked on my hair again and bit the soft skin of my neck in the spot that he had been kissing. I brought my hand to my mouth, stifling a moan. Lucius pulled away, breathing heavily and giving me an appraising look. </p><p>“Don’t cover that pretty mouth. I’m going to make you scream,” he drawled, dragging his thumb along my bottom lip. “I want to hear every sound you make.” </p><p>He moved his thumb into my mouth and I looked up at him, stunned. </p><p>“Are you going to do as I say?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. </p><p>I felt a rush of heat to my core, and my heart battered wildly against my chest. Had I just nodded? He leaned back down, kissing my jaw, and pressed himself against me so that our bodies were flush against each other. His hand snaked down my waist and played with the hem of my shirt, trailing it upwards and exposing my skin. </p><p>I had to admit that flirting with Lucius had been fun, but I really hadn’t expected anything to happen. This was all moving too fast. </p><p>I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find him attractive. But I thought of what Leucippe had overhead just hours ago. I thought of what Lucius had said to my father last week. I jumped slightly as George Weasley’s kind eyes flashed into my mind and I felt absurdly guilty.</p><p>Lucius trailed down again and bit lightly at another spot on my neck, close to my collarbone. I suppressed a moan and summoned my will. I brought both my hands up to his shoulder and pushed him back, hard. </p><p>It wasn’t enough to disconnect him from myself entirely, but he was taken by surprise and looked down at me, visibly confused. He opened his mouth to say something when a flourishing motion behind him sent the tent flaps flying open. </p><p>“Lucius!” </p><p>A man in a black cloak stepped into the tent. I quickly shoved my shirt down and dropped from the couch as Lucius turned towards the man, irritation plain in his eyes. </p><p>“You’re late,” the man sneered. </p><p>“I told you before-” Lucius started, anger clear in his voice. </p><p>“I can see that you’re occupied,” the man said, noticing me. His eyes flicked up and down my body and lingered on my heaving chest for a moment too long. I pulled my cardigan tight around me. “Who is that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me. </p><p>“The Cresswell girl,” Lucius said, taking a step between myself and the man, so he couldn’t see me. “It’s not your concern.” </p><p>The man laughed wickedly, sharing some private joke with himself. </p><p>“I thought you only had a taste for purebloods, Lucius.” </p><p>“Idiot,” Lucius snarled. “Do you not know who the Cresswells are?”</p><p>“If I didn’t know them before, I certainly do now,” the man said, flicking his eyes over to me again. “Calla, right? The Cresswells adopted the girl. She’s a Mudblood.”</p><p>The way he said Mudblood sent a bolt of fear through my body. The inflection in his voice while he said the word had been exactly how the street peddler had said it. </p><p>“Don’t take long,” the man said to Lucius before whisking away. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe</p><p>“It was incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it!”</p><p>“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so excited, Leucippe.” </p><p>“Did you see how fast they were flying?” I said, lying down on the carpet of Luna’s tent. </p><p>“It was fascinating,” she agreed. “They seemed fearless.” </p><p>Neither Luna nor I had a great deal of knowledge about Quidditch, but we couldn’t deny that what we had just seen had been borderline historical. </p><p>“You and Charlie look very nice together,” she said thoughtfully.</p><p>Feeling like I knew where she was going with this, I quickly said, “He’s gay.” </p><p>“Oh, I know,” Luna said. “I just meant as friends. Friends can look nice together, don’t you think?” </p><p>Before I could answer, a disheveled owl flew into the tent and crashed into the pitcher of lemonade on the table. I sighed and walked over to pluck the note out of Errol’s beak. I scanned the letter quickly, then turned to Luna. </p><p>“Come on, Luna, we’re going to a party.” </p><p>****</p><p>Normally, I would be quite nervous about being around so many people, but the Weasleys had made me feel very welcome when I had visited the Burrow the week before. And, truth be told, the rum that Luna had brought was lowering my inhibitions. </p><p>When we reached the Weasleys’ tent, Fred and George were in the middle of mocking Ron for his obsession with Viktor Krum. Ron had a point, I reckoned. The way Krum had dived for the snitch and caught it before anyone even saw what happened was quite impressive. </p><p>I caught Harry’s eye and waved at him, offering a small smile. I felt a bit sorry for him at times; I could still remember being in second year sitting at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall during Harry’s sorting. The Sorting Ceremony was a stressful experience for everyone, but the hush that had fallen over the room when Harry’s name was called must have made the whole situation even more nerve-racking for him. I didn’t know him all that well, but from what I had seen, the past three years that had followed hadn’t been easy for him. </p><p>Charlie, who was now pink-faced and smiling widely, swaggered over and draped his arms over mine and Luna’s shoulders. </p><p>“Hello ladies,” he said, slurring slightly. “I have to say, the Irish are absolutely mad. Just barking.” </p><p>“You got that right,” Lee Jordan said.</p><p>“The team was pretty ruthless during the game,” I agreed. </p><p>“What game?” Charlie said.</p><p>I stared at him, blankly.</p><p>“Oh right, the Quidditch game. Nah, I was just talking about all Irish people.” </p><p>I rolled my eyes and shrugged him off. </p><p>While Charlie and Luna began an in-depth conversation about dragons, I made my way over to Fred and George. Bill and Percy were sitting a few feet from the rest of the Weasleys, talking in low voices. They were more composed than the rest, although they both appeared to be much more relaxed than they had the last time I had seen them.</p><p>“Hey Leucippe, we may not have sold you on the Puking Pastilles,” Fred said. </p><p>“But I’m sure we can interest you in some Fainting Fancies,” George continued. </p><p>“Please,” scoffed Hermione, “Leucippe isn’t interested in getting out of class.”</p><p>“If I want to get out of class, I can just get up and walk out,” I said, shrugging. “It’s the privilege of not being a troublemaker.” </p><p>Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bill lift his head up and smirk. </p><p>Ron, meanwhile, had resumed his fawning over Viktor Krum. While Fred went back to teasing him, George glanced sideways at me and cleared his throat as if he wanted to say something. I looked up at him, curiously. </p><p>“So, did Calla find you alright?” he said, while scratching the back of his head.</p><p>He spoke quietly, and I could hear the concern in his voice. </p><p>“She did…” I answered, stopping myself from saying more. Calla had told me that George had helped her out when that street peddler was being a creep. That must have been what he was referring to now, but my thoughts went instantly to Lucius.</p><p>He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but Charlie was now walking over towards us while talking loudly to Ron. </p><p>“I could have beat Krum if I wanted too. Nothing against him, he’s just not as agile as me,” Charlie said before promptly tripping over his own broom.</p><p>Fred came back over as well, stepping over Charlie, who was now lying down on the floor. </p><p>“Okay, Fainting Fancies may not be to your taste, but you’re going to want to buy a few Nosebleed Nougats,” he said insistently. </p><p>“Great way to get back at your enemies,” George said, his face relaxing again. </p><p>“Exactly how many enemies do you think I have?” I asked. </p><p>Fred opened his mouth to answer, when a sharp shrieking noise pierced through the tent, followed by a thunderous banging sound. Screams followed quickly, the sound of them unmistakable even through the thick tent coverings. I looked towards the tent opening in surprise, but no one else seemed bothered. </p><p>“Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on.” </p><p>The tent doors flew wildly open and Mr. Weasley ran in, panting heavily. </p><p>“It’s not the Irish,” he said. “We need to get back to the portkey.” </p><p>He sounded deadly serious. A shrill, blood-curdling scream rang through the night and my heart dropped. Bill was the first to spring into action, hoisting Charlie up off the floor in a swift motion, while Hermione, Ron and Harry nearly knocked over the table, all getting up at once. I stood there dumbly for a moment before Luna ran over to me and grappled for my hand with a terrified expression. </p><p>“Now!” Mr. Weasley shouted, motioning towards the tent entrance, where he stood. Luna and I ran out with everyone else, groping for each other in the midst of the commotion. Mr. Weasley was last to leave, making sure we had all got out, just as a burst of flames shot up on one side of the tent. </p><p>People were running in random directions, leaving their belongings behind and shouting out to each other over through the wreckage. Tents were toppled over, merchant carts were lying on their sides in the middle of paths, and small fires were spouting angry red flames into the night air. My eyes watered as I tried to make out shapes through the thickening smoke, trying to see past the first row of tents where a strange hissing noise was resonating from. </p><p>I remembered that Luna was standing next to me when she gasped and pointed upwards. I staggered backward in shock at the sight. </p><p>The two Muggle owners, the Roberts’ were hanging in the air, slack-jawed and stunned. They seemed to still be alive, reeling their arms feebly, trying to throw off their invisible restraints. Mrs. Roberts was crying and both of their faces were twisted in fear. </p><p>I was still holding on to Luna, but I looked wildly around and realized that I couldn’t identify anyone else from our group out of the moving shapes. </p><p>I felt a hand on my shoulder and I could just make out a dash of red hair and a tall shape next to me and Luna. </p><p>“Run!” </p><p>Bill’s shout woke us up and, throwing one last glance at the Roberts’, Luna and I took off toward the direction of the portkey. Just as we reached the narrow path that would lead us out of the field, a large family of terrified wizards stampeded past us, separating me and Luna. I felt her hand tear away from mine and her blonde hair disappeared from my view. </p><p>I heard Luna’s voice through the noise, calling my name, but it was becoming more and more distant. </p><p>“Luna!” I shouted.</p><p>The strange rumbling sound was heightening, dominating all other noises. I whipped around and stood in awe. For a moment the smoke cleared, revealing a group of cloaked wizards wearing skull-like masks moving through the fields, destroying everything in their path. Two of them were pointing their wands upwards, holding the Muggles suspended in the air. </p><p>I was out of the immediate line of sight a bit off the path, but I definitely wasn’t safe here, and the cover of the crowd was dwindling as more and more people Apparated away.</p><p>If I could get back to the path and get away quickly, I would be out of the field and free to look for the portkey without them seeing me.</p><p>I stepped out, skidding down the incline towards the path, my eyes set towards the direction of the Muggle cottage. I heard a loud shout before a powerful blast took me off my feet, knocking the air out of me. Every nerve in my body rang with shock and darkness swept over me. </p><p>****</p><p>The sound of the commotion drifted back to me, raucous banging, stray screams, and that strange pulsating noise that reverberated through the night air. The ground felt cold against my skin.</p><p>The ground?</p><p>I opened my eyes to find the world was tilted on its side. I was lying down on the edge of the path. Through my blurred vision, I could just make out the shapes of people running back and forth around steadily growing fires and collapsed tents. </p><p>I gasped at the feeling of someone’s strong grip on my arm, pulling me upright. I turned my head, weakly clutching my wand with my other hand, and was met by Bill’s face, his mouth pulled back in a worried frown. </p><p>I tried to drag myself up onto my knees, but my muscles were reacting slowly, as though I was moving through muddy water. My legs were shaky, as though I hadn’t used them in a long time. Trying to steady myself, I brought my hand to Bill’s chest, forgetting to be embarrassed. He was now leaning over me, his wand aimed towards the commotion, ready to act in case anymore rogue spells came our way. I tried to regain my senses, focusing on the feeling of his hard muscles tensed underneath my hand, and the sound of his shaking breath next to my ear. </p><p>“Come on, we need to get to the portkey!” he shouted over the noise. </p><p>I pinched my eyes shut, trying to concentrate on standing. Bill still had his wand at the ready, but his other arm was now wrapped tight around my waist.</p><p>“Hey… hey, come on,” Bill said, more calmly this time. I pried my eyes open and saw that his brows were furrowed as he looked down at me. Still holding the wand, he brought his hand to the side of my face, along my jawline. </p><p>“You’ve just been stunned,” he said, throwing a glance behind him. “Listen, you’re going to be okay, but we really need to move.”</p><p>The hissing sound that I couldn’t quite pinpoint was growing steadily louder now. Now that it was closer, it was sounding more and more like some sort of vicious chanting. </p><p>I remembered now. The Muggles dangling high in the air to the amusement of those cloaked wizards. Death Eaters. </p><p>Yelping in pain, I pushed myself up to my feet, feeling a surge of adrenaline course through me. Bill helped me up, the relief washing over his face. Without saying a word, he gripped my upper arm and started running at a low pace to make sure I could keep up.  </p><p>A flash of light went past my head and Bill turned around and sent a curse towards the attacker before I even registered what happened. </p><p>I twisted my head around as I ran and saw that the Death Eater had deflected Bill’s curse. He pointed his wand toward us and yelled something. I didn’t know what curses these wizards were willing to use, but they were probably much worse than anything I knew how to do. </p><p>I sent an incarcerating spell towards the Death Eater, hitting him square in the chest. </p><p>I didn’t even have time to see him fall to the ground, before Bill pulled me around a corner, now only a few yards from the Muggle cottage and just beyond that…</p><p>The portkey. </p><p>Bill and I glanced at each other. His chest was heaving and his hair was dark with sweat. I dug deep for whatever courage I had and ran. </p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Dark Mark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla</p><p>Lucius stood with his back to me, not moving for what felt like ages. I could feel my heart pounding and I didn’t dare breathe. He rounded on me, his eyes flashing a cold obsidian fire. I knew I should be scared, but instead, I felt the heat of my own anger rising to my face. </p><p>In three quick strides he was upon me, pulling me by the collar of my cardigan and slamming me against the wooden pillar in the middle of the room. I had no time to react before he brought his hand to my throat, applying enough pressure to make it difficult to breathe. With his other hand, he pressed the tip of his wand into the side of my face, hard enough to bruise, but I wouldn’t let him see my reaction. I instinctively brought my hands to his arms and gripped his wrists, but I wasn’t strong enough to pull him off me. </p><p>“You knew,” he said, barely keeping his voice steady. </p><p>“Yes,” I gasped. There was no point in denying it. </p><p>“You’re a Mudblood,” he hissed. </p><p>I scowled in response, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging that hurtful word. </p><p>He twisted his face into a snarl and he increased the pressure on my throat even more. My pulse thrummed against his thumb on the sensitive part of my neck that he had been kissing only minutes ago. I could feel his breath on my face as he leaned down even closer. The wand that was pressed against my cheek was was hurting me now and I bit my lip to keep from wincing.  </p><p>I wanted to break our eye contact, but I was compelled to keep looking at him, trapped by his icy stare. The tension between us couldn’t be ignored, even as I heard the sounds of screams drifting in from outside the tent. </p><p>My fear was mingling with the agitation that had built up from before, and even now the feeling of his hard body pressed up against me sent a rush of heat through me. </p><p>“You’re nothing,” he said, seething. “Just a Mudblood slut, taken in like a lost pup by those pathetic excuses for Slytherins. Cowards.” </p><p>Adrenaline course through me and my hand flew up to slap him. My parents were many things, but they weren’t cowards. He caught my wrist effortlessly and gripped it painfully tight. I gasped and tried to pull away, but there was nowhere to go. </p><p>My anger had reached a boiling point, and I couldn’t stop it from bubbling over.</p><p>“You’re the one who came on to me!” I said, my voice shaking.</p><p>He released my wrist and slapped the side of my face so hard that it nearly knocked me over. Tears sprang to my eyes at the impact of the shock. I looked at him, too taken aback to say anything. I touched my face where his hand had struck, still reeling from the sting. The hand that had slapped me now grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked me towards him, so that our bodies were pressed up against one another once again. He was breathing hard now, as if he was just barely restraining himself. </p><p>“As if anyone would believe you,” he whispered.</p><p>Even if I managed to throw him off, I couldn’t make a run for it without him catching me, and I gathered that screaming would be useless, based on the heightening noises from outside.</p><p>The only option left was to fight, despite knowing that Lucius was a highly skilful wizard who had years of expertise on his side. </p><p>My wand. It was in my back pocket. I could feel it now against my back. </p><p>Before I could make my attack, Lucius released me completely, taking a step back to look me up and down in disgust. </p><p>“I should have known,” he said. </p><p>I couldn’t speak even if I wanted to. Tears were pricking the corners of my eyes, and I swallowed around a hard lump in my throat. </p><p>“I’d be careful if I were you,” he continued. “Get out.” He made a jerking motion with his thumb toward the tent entrance. </p><p>I didn’t need to be asked twice. </p><p>Without looking back, I fled into the night. </p><p>POV: George </p><p>“Fred! George! Ginny is your responsibility!” </p><p>That was the last thing I heard any of us say before we were engulfed in chaos. Fred and I reached for Ginny, making sure that she got out ahead of us. The three of us quickly lost the others as everyone scattered, running for the portkey. The thickening smoke was making it increasingly difficult to see, anyway. I ran with one of my hands on Ginny’s shoulder.</p><p>We reached a path that would lead us out of the field, but the crowd was much thicker here and people were stampeding in a flurry of confusion as disembodied screams rose from the crowd. We had no choice but to be swept up in it as people behind us began pushing. </p><p>Fred yelled over the screams, “it’s too dangerous here, we need to get Ginny out of the crowd!” </p><p>I nodded, and we veered out of the crowd towards a smaller side path. We didn’t need to say anything to each other; we both knew that it would lead us to the portkey, just in a slightly more roundabout way. </p><p>We were now moving silently down the path, which veered off slightly, but the screams and bangs still reached our ears. Fred, Ginny, and I weaved to the side into a section of tents that hadn’t yet been destroyed, but there were fewer people here and the ones we saw swiftly Apparated away. A loud bang sounded behind us and I glanced back, searching for the source of the noise. While my head was still turned, I crashed into a small figure, almost knocking both of us down. </p><p>I quickly grabbed the arm of whoever I had bumped into. For a moment, the smoke cleared, and I was met with Calla’s face, illuminated by the moonlight. She looked up at me with wide, bright eyes. I was at a loss of words for a moment. What was she doing here alone? </p><p>“Calla?” I finally said. “What do you think you’re doing out here?” </p><p>Her bottom lip trembled as she looked away. </p><p>Fred looked at me in confusion, then said to Calla, “Are you lost? We’re heading to a portkey. We can take you there.” </p><p>I frowned in concern. Her neck and the side of her face were bright red, and her eyes were glistening and wet as though she had just been crying. I instinctively reached out to touch her, but stopped myself; she already seemed spooked, and I didn’t want to make it worse. </p><p>“I-I dropped my wand,” she mumbled. She seemed to be on the verge of tears. “I can’t leave until I find it…” </p><p>Fred sucked air through his teeth and looked down at Ginny. I knew what he was thinking. We weren’t far from the Muggle cottage. It was only about fifty yards away, and not far beyond that lay the portkey that would take us to safety. </p><p>“Go,” I said. “Take Ginny, I won’t be far behind.” </p><p>“We’ll wait for you up there,” Fred said. “Be careful, yeah?” </p><p>I nodded and watched them take off. </p><p>“Come on,” I said, touching her arm. “Its gotta be around here somewhere, right?” I smiled reassuringly at her, but really all I wanted to do was get her out of here to safety. </p><p>She nodded and pointed in the direction that she had come from. Through the smoke, I could make out the shapes of collapsed tents as more and more people left. There were only two tents in the distance that weren’t destroyed, both green and silver. </p><p>“I’m sure it’s just fallen on the ground somewhere,” I said, trying to smile again.</p><p>Okay, stop smiling, she’s going to think you’re insane. </p><p>“Lumos,” I said, waving my wand. </p><p>We began trekking through the wreckage, silently scanning the ground as we went. A few times, Calla wiped her eyes on her shirtsleeve, and I looked away, pretending not to notice. </p><p>As we walked further and further from the portkey, the more a sense of dread crept up my spine. The atmosphere had shifted, becoming quiet and eerie as more people fled. The chanting sound had dwindled, but the wind still carried it to my ears, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. </p><p>I threw several glances at Calla as we walked, and my concern deepened when she rubbed her jawline with her hand. I wanted to ask her how she had gotten hurt, but I didn’t think it would be my place. My heart sped up when she turned to look up at me, and the moonlight brightened the welt on the side of her face. Had someone done that to her? I clenched my fist around my wand and gritted my teeth at the thought. </p><p>“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” she said. </p><p>“No clue. To be honest, we thought it was just the Irish celebrating their victory. A few fireworks gone wrong,” I said, shrugging. “But then…” I trailed off, making a vague gesture to the surrounding wreckage. </p><p>“Yeah,” she said, softly. </p><p>She started to say something else when a strangled voice broke the silence. </p><p>“Morsmordre!” </p><p>We whipped our heads around towards the direction of the noise just in time to see the outline of a man thrust his wand into the air and send a beam of light into the dark clouds. </p><p>“Get behind me,” I said, touching Calla’s shoulder. </p><p>To my surprise, she obeyed, allowing me to partially block her body with my larger frame. </p><p>I could scarcely understand what I was seeing. There was a flash of light and then the outline of a skull moulded itself into the clouds; I watched in horror as it unhinged its jaw, allowing the spectre of a snake to slither out. The dark coil of its body emerged into the sky, protruding grotesquely from the mouth of the skull. </p><p>I gaped upwards for a moment, then glanced down at Calla, who wasn’t staring up at the sky at all. Her eyes were large and scared, and she seemed to be frozen in place. I followed the direction she was looking in and saw the shape of the man who had cast the spell. The moonlight was against his back so I could just make out his straggly, dishevelled form, but he seemed to look right at us. I peered through the darkness and jolted in shock. </p><p>It was the street peddler. The one who had been bothering Calla. His beard and flat cap were gone, and he was wearing a different outfit, but those deranged eyes made him instantly recognizable.</p><p>He brought his arm down and gave a shout, sending a foreign curse towards us. Calla grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the way just as I sent a deflection spell.</p><p>I raised my wand hand again, ready to be on the defence, but he was gone. </p><p>Calla’s small hand was still holding onto me, and I was too flustered to say anything. I turned to face her, and she dropped my hand, mumbling an apology. We stood in silence for several moments. I was breathing hard, and I felt a drop of sweat trail down the side of my face. As Calla looked up at me in relief, I wondered why my heart was still beating so fast now that we were out of harm’s way. </p><p>I wanted to ask her if she somehow knew that man and if he was the reason for the bruise on the side of her face. I took another step towards her, close enough that I could hear her breathing and she had to crane her neck to meet my eyes. </p><p>Before I could say anything, the sound of thundering footsteps interrupted us and I raised my wand, ready to be on the defence again. Through the smoke, three figures emerged.</p><p>I lowered my wand and sighed in exasperation.</p><p>Ron, Harry and Hermione ran the rest of the way to us once they realized who we were, the relief clear on all of their faces. </p><p>“What are you doing here, you tosspot?” I said to Ron. “The portkey’s way over there.” </p><p>“We came back for Harry,” Ron said defiantly. “Anyway, what are you doing here?” </p><p>“I fancied a little stroll - seems like a nice night for a walk,” I answered sarcastically. </p><p>“Well, Harry -” Ron retorted. </p><p>“Boys,” Hermione hissed. “Maybe it’s time we get out of here?” </p><p>We still hadn’t found Calla’s wand, but it was too dangerous to stay out here much longer. As soon as I had the thought, several stern looking Ministry wizards emerged from the dissipating smoke. I breathed a sigh of relief that my father was among them. </p><p>The one at the front had his wand raised at us, and I recognized him as Barty Crouch.</p><p>“Which of you conjured it?” he exclaimed, brandishing his wand in Harry’s face. “Do not lie!” </p><p>“Barty!” Arthur said, pushing himself through the other Ministry wizards. “They’re just kids. You can’t think they had anything to do with this.” </p><p>“You’ve been discovered at the scene of the crime!” Crouch continued, aiming his wand uncomfortably close to my face. </p><p>“Easy, mate,” I said, knocking his wand aside with my hand. </p><p>“Crime? What crime?” Harry asked. </p><p>“It’s his mark,” Calla replied, her eyes fixed at the horrible apparition in the sky. </p><p>“The Dark Mark,” Hermione whispered. </p><p>“Voldemort,” Harry exclaimed. I felt Calla flinch next to me. “And those people tonight. Those were his followers?”</p><p>“Death Eaters,” my father said, nodding gravely. </p><p>“Right,” Crouch interrupted, disappointed that he hadn’t been able to incriminate any of us. “Follow me.” </p><p>POV: Calla </p><p>As Barty Crouch led the party away, my eyes were still fixed on the spot where that man who had cast the Dark Mark had stood. </p><p>I narrowed my eyes and the spot on the ground where he had just been and gasped. </p><p>“Wait!” I said and dashed off into that direction. </p><p>“Calla!” Hermione exclaimed.</p><p>I ignored her and approached the spot where he had been just moments ago. </p><p>It was my wand, lying there on the ground. </p><p>I crouched down and picked it up, carefully examining it. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with it. Finally, allowing the tension to leave my body, I tucked my wand into my pocket and stood to leave. </p><p>A glint of metal on the ground reflecting the moonlight caught my eye. In the spot next to where my wand was laying, was the green and silver brooch that the merchant had tried to sell me. </p><p>“Calla,” George said, catching up to me. He frowned in concern. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” </p><p>I kicked the brooch into the dirt and walked away. </p><p>POV: Leucippe</p><p>The events that had occurred at the Quidditch match had left us all in shock, but luckily no one had actually gotten hurt. After Bill and I had found the portkey, we discovered that several people hadn’t made it back to the Burrow yet, although to my relief, Luna had gotten back alright, as well as Fred, Ginny, Percy and Lee. </p><p>Molly Weasley was now pacing anxiously around the main living space of the Burrow, casting frequent glances on the magical clock that revealed the locations of the Weasleys. No one spoke.</p><p>I sat stiffly on the couch just a few feet from Bill. My heart was hammering for more than one reason, and the minutes were dragging out unnaturally. </p><p>Luna gingerly sat down next to me, giving me one of those looks that made me feel as if she knew what I was thinking. </p><p>“Are you alright?” she asked. </p><p>“I’m fine. I mean, I was stunned,” I stammered, throwing a nervous glance at Bill. “But I’m fine. You?” </p><p>“Oh, that’s terrible,” Luna said. “If you’d like, I have a tonic that can help.”</p><p>The front door burst open, and several people walked in all at once. </p><p>“Arthur!” Molly said, throwing her hands up. “Where on Earth have you been?” </p><p>“Ran into a bit of trouble, dear,” he said, embracing her. </p><p>“Oh, Ron, George,” Molly said, reaching for her sons. “Harry, Hermione, are you both alright?” </p><p>One more person walked into the room behind all the rest, her steps hesitant. </p><p>“Is that Calla Cresswell?” Molly said, surprised. “Dear, how are you? Does your family know you’re here?” </p><p>“They weren’t at the Quidditch game,” she answered, casting a nervous glance around the room. “I was with my friends, but we got separated.” </p><p>“Don’t worry, you can write them and let them know you’re okay,” Molly said, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Why don’t you stay here for the night? It’s too late to go anywhere now.” </p><p>Calla shook her head. “I don’t want to be a problem.”</p><p>“We’re a little packed in tonight anyway,” Molly said, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure one more person won’t make a difference.” </p><p>I glanced at George and saw that he was standing stock still for the entire duration of their conversation. </p><p>Calla finally agreed to stay and once the commotion died down and people started trailing off to their bedrooms, I quietly excused myself and went to the washroom. I stared into the mirror and pressed cold water into my face, trying to cool down. </p><p>It wasn’t the shock of being stunned that I still felt now; it was the feeling of Bill’s hand on the side of my face. The gesture had been strangely tender in the middle of all of that chaos, and my eyes drifted shut, imagining his warmth on my skin. His hands had been rough in texture, but gentle and large, able to cover the entire side of my face. </p><p>I shivered at the memory. </p><p>I had to snap out of this. I just hadn’t been touched in a long time; that was the only reason I was feeling this way. It had absolutely nothing to do with Bill himself. He hadn’t even been very friendly to me during our few encounters. He would’ve helped anyone who had gotten hurt. </p><p>Regardless of whatever delusions I had, there was still one thing I had to do before I went back to Luna’s that night. </p><p>I tiptoed quietly down the hallway and knocked softly on Bill’s door - the one next to Charlie’s. </p><p>The door swung open almost immediately, making me jump back in surprise. He had clearly just come out of the shower; his hair was dripping wet and the top couple buttons of his shirt were undone. He seemed a little disgruntled at the interruption.</p><p>“Uhm, I just wanted to say… thank you,” I stammered.</p><p>He had literally saved my life, and I had no idea how to repay him. My nails were digging into the palms of my hand as I waited for his reply. </p><p>He cocked his eyebrow and leaned against the doorframe. </p><p>“I have to admit. That incarcerating spell knocked that Death Eater right off his feet. Where did you learn it?” </p><p>I tilted my head, wondering if he was just humouring me.</p><p>“It’s not a difficult spell,” I said, confused.</p><p>“You used it non-verbally. Hogwarts only starts teaching that in the fifth year.” </p><p>I shrugged. “In a situation like that, announcing the spell you’re going to use before you use it would be a bad idea.” </p><p>His lip twitched into an almost-smile. </p><p>“You’re right,” he said. “I mean, your technique wasn’t perfect but it might get better with practise.”</p><p>I bristled at his criticism. “Actually,” I said, “It’s not the first time I’ve had to use it. Like you said, Hogwarts doesn’t teach it until fifth year, so I taught myself.” </p><p>“I bet you’ll be teaching yourself wandless magic next?”</p><p>“Maybe I will,” I said. </p><p>“Have you read Rory Salman’s Advanced Guide to Wandless Spells and Hexes? It might be a little advanced for your level, but you might find it interesting.” </p><p>In fact, I hadn’t even heard of it. </p><p>“No,” I admitted. “But why would it be too advanced? Once I get better at non-verbal spells, wouldn’t wandless magic be a natural next step?”</p><p>“It’s not the same thing. There are plenty of wizards who can perform non-verbal spells but can’t perform wandless magic worth a damn.” </p><p>“Well, I find the subject interesting.” </p><p>Bill crossed his arms, and I tried to ignore the fact that I could see the outline of his toned arms through the thin material of his shirt. </p><p>“Yeah, well,” he scoffed. “Lots of students find it fascinating. A lot of them aren’t able to do it.”</p><p>How had he complimented me and insulted me in a few seconds? Not wanting to agitate myself, I tucked my annoyance away and forced my face to relax.</p><p>“Sure,” I said, coolly. “Well, I just came over to thank you for helping me. So, thank you.” </p><p>Bill smirked, and I turned on my heel and hurried down the hallway before he could see my face turning bright crimson.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Going Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla</p><p> The next morning, I woke with a bright sun shining on my face and the sound of knitting needles clicking rhythmically. I opened my eyes and was met with an unfamiliar, yet strangely comforting scene. It took me a moment to remember where I was, but gradually the memory of the previous night came back to me.</p>
<p>
I was on the couch of the living room in the Burrow. I turned to the sound of the clicking and saw a pair of enchanted knitting needles working meticulously on the blanket that I had been using to sleep.</p><p>
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I lifted myself up and looked around. The house was still and quiet. The sun was low in the sky; since everyone was sure to be exhausted after the events of the previous night, I didn’t expect anyone else to be up for a while. As quietly as I could, I padded to the washroom and scrubbed my face. Looking into the mirror, I trailed my fingers along the bruise that was starting to form on my cheek. It wasn’t too bad - hopefully no one would notice. There was a slight redness on my neck where Lucius had grabbed me, but it was nothing that I couldn’t easily hide.</p><p>
I left the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind me. I turned around and my breath hitched in my throat at the sight of the tall redhead standing in the kitchen, with his back to me. Looking to my left, I saw a small window not too far from the ground. If I was really quiet, I could make my escape without him noticing. Before I could move, he turned around.</p><p>
“Morning,” Fred yawned.</p><p>
I breathed a sigh of relief. After George had seen me nearly crying twice the day before, I wasn’t quite ready to face him yet.</p>
<p>
“Hi Fred. What are you doing up so early?”</p>
<p>
“George won’t stop talking in his sleep. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.”</p>
<p>
I laughed nervously, looking away.</p>
<p>
“I should really be heading home soon, but I wanted to thank your parents before going,” I said, changing the subject.</p>
<p>
“Dad and Percy left already I think - try and smooth things out at the Ministry. Mum is probably already up.”</p>
<p>
“Really? I didn’t even hear them go.” I must’ve slept through it.</p>
<p>
“The sounds of Percy droning on and on about how important he is at the Ministry is enough to put anyone to sleep.”</p>
<p>
I bit my lip worriedly. I had wanted to thank Arthur for his help the night before. Without him, I wasn’t sure what would have happened.</p>
<p>
Sure enough, the front door opened and Mrs Weasley walked in, pulling off a pair of gardening gloves.</p>
<p>
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to be up just yet. Calla, how did you sleep? I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable.”</p>
<p>
“Really well, Mrs Weasley, thank you so much for letting me spend the night,” I said, smiling at her.</p>
<p>
“Of course, dear.”</p>
<p>
I shifted on my feet and asked, “Has any post arrived this morning?”</p>
<p>
“Not yet,” Mrs Weasley said. “Are you expecting a letter?”</p>
<p>
“I wrote to my friends last night,” I answered. “The ones that I was with at the Quidditch game. We kind of got separated, but I was supposed to go back with them after the game.”</p>
<p>
“I’m sure they're alright,” Mrs Weasley reassured. “It’s still early.”</p>
<p>
“Don’t worry about it,” Fred said, yawning again. “Errol probably just got lost again.”</p>
<p>
“Well, I really should be getting back home,” I said, looking out the window at the sky that was brightening. “My parents will see the newspaper soon and find out what happened last night.”</p>
<p>
“How are you getting home? Is your parents’ house connected to the Floo network?” Molly asked.</p>
<p>
“No… I was supposed to take a portkey back after the game...” I answered, now suddenly unsure of how exactly I was to get home.</p>
<p>
“Fred, why don’t you take the car and drive Calla home?”</p>
<p>
“That’s okay,” I interjected. “If I could take the Floo network to anywhere in Weymouth, I can find my way home.”</p>
<p>
“I’d feel much better if we could get you home directly, dear,” Molly said worriedly. “Especially after everything that happened last night. The Ministry will still be investigating. Fred?”</p>
<p>
“I have to take Ginny to Diagon Alley today, Mum,” Fred said, leaning against the counter.</p>
<p>
“Go wake up Bill then, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”</p>
<p>
“Bill hurt his arm yesterday, though,” Fred reminded her.</p>
<p>
I looked back and forth between the two, wishing I had just taken the portkey back to my parents’ house the night before.</p>
<p>
“I really don’t want to cause any inconvenience,” I said. “I can just-”</p>
<p>
“George can drive her home,” Molly said.</p>
<p>
A flash of nervousness coursed through.</p>
<p>
“Please, Mrs Weasley, that’s really unnecessary,” I implored. “I don’t mind at all taking the subway.”</p>
<p>
“What’s that?” called a voice from the stairs.</p>
<p>
George stumbled down the stairs, wearing only his boxers. He was even more toned than I had realized, and with his boxers hung low on his hips, I had a clear view of the deep V-line that trailed down. His red hair was fluffed up on one side from where he had been laying down, and his eyes were still blurry with sleep.</p>
<p>
I looked away quickly, feeling heat creep up my neck.</p>
<p>
“For Merlin’s sake, put some pants on George, we have company over,” Molly said, clicking her tongue at him.</p>
<p>
“Oh, uh, right,” he said, glancing in my direction, before promptly running back upstairs.</p>
<p>
“Yeah, put some pants on George!” Fred taunted. “Stop trying to scare people out of the house.”</p>
<p>
“Let me fix you something to eat before you go,” Mrs Weasley said.</p>
<p>
After a minute, George came back downstairs, dressed and and with his hair smoothed down. He offered me a small smile, which I returned, before hastily going into the kitchen to offer some help to Mrs Weasley.</p>
<p>
I ended up eating a bit of toast, mostly to appease Mrs Weasley, despite the fact that my stomach was in knots. I wanted to tell George that he really didn’t need to drive me anywhere, but I didn’t think it would be any use. The last thing I needed was an extended period of alone time with George after the events of last night; I didn’t need him asking questions that I wouldn’t know how to answer. Like, what exactly was I doing all by myself in the North field?</p>
<p>
There was simply no way I was going to utter a word about Lucius to George or anyone else for that matter.</p>
<p>
Soon after, I collected my things while Fred and George scarfed down some breakfast. George quickly agreed to take me home, which was followed by a warning from Mrs Weasley that if anything happened to the car, he wouldn’t be allowed to do anything or go anywhere for a year.</p>
<p>
“Thank you so much for everything,” I said to Mrs Weasley as George and I were walking out the front door. I hadn’t allowed myself to think too hard about why my friends hadn’t written to me to make sure I was okay, but thinking about it now brought a lump into my throat.</p>
<p>
“Anytime, dear,” she said, giving my shoulders a squeeze. Suddenly stern-faced, she turned to George and handed him the keys. “Do not forget to turn on the invisibility shield, and make sure you come straight back! Absolutely no detours.”</p>
<p>
George made a halo motion over his head and gave his mother a peck on the cheek.</p>
<p>
We got into Mr Weasley’s car and after a shuddering start up from the engine, the car rose shakily into the air and began to fly over the moors and fields of Devon.</p>
<p>
I fixed my eyes straight ahead. I was now stuck in a flying car with the one person I was trying to avoid.</p>
<p>
Clearing my throat, I cautioned a glance at George, who had an easygoing expression on his face as he tapped his thumbs on the steering wheel.</p>
<p>
“I guess now is probably a good time to say thank you,” I said, breaking the silence.</p>
<p>
George looked at me with raised brows. “What for?”</p>
<p>
“For… last night. I mean you could’ve gone to the portkey with your family, but instead you stayed and helped me.”</p>
<p>
“Well I wasn’t about to let you go wandering around with a bunch of death eaters on the loose, was I?” he said, beaming.</p>
<p>
Despite his smile, my heart sunk a little bit. Of course he would have done the same for anyone.</p>
<p>
“Thank you anyway,” I mumbled. “I mean… I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along.”</p>
<p>
I looked out the window at the houses and streets passing swiftly by down below. Peering down at a little yellow house, I could see a husband and wife getting into their car, probably off to work for the day. I sighed a little sadly at seeing something so simple and mundane; those would probably be the last words I would use to describe my life recently.</p>
<p>
“What were you doing out there anyway?” George asked.</p>
<p>
“I just got separated from my friends in all the commotion,” I said, not meeting his gaze. “I had my wand out and I just… dropped it.”</p>
<p>
I wasn’t completely lying. I really had been searching for my friends and I really had dropped my wand. George didn’t need to know the exact reason that I was in the North field, I decided.</p>
<p>
“And what about that man?” George pressed. “The one who cast the Dark Mark? You found your wand where he had been standing?”</p>
<p>
I hadn’t even thought about that yet. George was right though, it was pretty suspicious.</p>
<p>
“I don’t know,” I said, simply.</p>
<p>
He didn’t press it any further, but instead gave me a worried look.</p>
<p>
“So what classes do you have this semester?” I asked quickly, changing the subject.</p>
<p>
George and I chatted for the next half hour, not about anything serious. I laughed several times, forgetting for a little while about the Dark Mark, and Lucius, and the reveal of my true blood status. We flew over farms and rivers, forests and small towns, until eventually the outskirts of my town came into view over the horizon.</p>
<p>
I directed George the rest of the way to my parents’ house, a decent sized Victorian style house not far from the centre of the town.</p>
<p>
The car lowered shakily to the ground, finally landing with a hard thump, half on the driveway and half on the surrounding yard. George gave a quick look around before removing the invisibility shield.</p>
<p>
“I got you here in one piece,” he said.</p>
<p>
“I’m a bit concerned by how surprised you sound.”</p>
<p>
“Listen, Calla,” George said, taking on that serious tone that I wasn’t used to from him. “Our families have known each other for quite a while now. We’re friends. I don’t know what all that stuff that happened at the Quidditch Game could mean, but… if you ever felt like you were in any kind of danger, we could help you.” His eyes dropped to the spot on my throat where the fresh bruise from Lucius was still blossoming. “I could help you.”</p>
<p>
“Thank you, George,” I said, sincerely. “I’ll be fine though, you don’t have to worry about me.”</p>
<p>
“See you in a few days,” George said, smirking slightly.</p>
<p>
I exited the car and walked up the driveway, noting that all the lights in the house seemed to be off. I turned around just in time to see George disappear as he reapplied the invisibility shield.</p>
<p>
Turning around, I unlocked the front door, using the key under the mat, my heart heavy with the knowledge that it would still be a few days until I would be going back to school.</p>
<p>
I looked around, seeing that the house was clean and proper, as always, but cold and dark. Despite being my home for many years, it never really felt lived in.<br/>
“Hello?” I called out.</p>
<p>
No answer.</p>
<p>
Looking around, I spotted a neatly written letter on the front table, addressed to me:</p>

<p>Calla,<br/>
"We received your letter and are pleased that you are well and safe following the events at the Quidditch World Cup.<br/>
We understand you must be quite confused at this time. Your father and I have always taken great care in ensuring your safety, in particular, by keeping the truth of your blood status a secret. Unfortunately, recent events have transpired that have made this impossible. We can not divulge more information at this time, but know that no matter what happens, you will always be safe here and at Hogwarts.<br/>
Your father and I will be spending the next week in London, dealing with some business at the Ministry. There is extra money in the envelope on the desk.<br/>
Take care." </p><p>So that was that. No one would be around to see me off at King’s Cross station in a few days.</p>
<p>
Without even changing my clothes, I lay down on the living room sofa and let sleep wash over me. </p><p>****</p><p>I was angry at myself. We weren’t even at Hogwarts yet and I had already majorly messed up this year. George Weasley had caught me at my worst moments, when I was weak and vulnerable, not once, but twice. And on the same day, to make it worse. First when that merchant had grabbed me before the Quidditch game, and then again when I had lost my wand after leaving Lucius’s. I wasn’t some damsel in distress; I knew how to take care of myself. At least he didn’t know about Lucius.</p>
<p>
I now sat on the Hogwarts Express, biting my nails furiously. I had been the first to arrive out of all my friends and I had hoped to catch them on the platform, but the thought of waiting out there in the open where George could see me was too nerve-racking.</p>
<p>
I glanced at my watch. The train was to leave in ten minutes, and apparently all of my friends had decided to be late.</p>
<p>
The past three days alone at my house had been miserable. I hadn’t gotten a speck of information from my parents, who were still in London, and my friends hadn’t written back.</p>
<p>
My head was fuzzy, buzzing with too many thoughts all at once. For starters, I now knew with absolute certainty that people other than my adoptive parents were aware that I was a Muggleborn. I still had no idea how that information had even gotten out, but I mentally kicked myself for not dealing with it as soon as the situation with the street peddler had occurred. That man who had run into Lucius’s tent, had known about my true blood status. And if Lucius knew, then Draco would soon know as well, and it would only be a matter of time before the information would spread to the rest of the school.</p>
<p>
My next big problem that I didn’t even know how to begin to confront was the fact that I had basically hooked up with Lucius Malfoy. To be perfectly honest, I had only flirted with him because I was bored and I was flattered by the attention of an older man. But things had gotten far too carried away, and to make matters worse, it had all culminated with him discovering I was a Muggleborn. Not only that, but I was pretty sure the Malfoys were Death Eaters.</p>
<p>
I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose. It was too much to process right now.</p>
<p>
I hadn’t even noticed that the train was starting to move. That was strange. My friends hadn’t arrived yet. They were probably making their way down the train right now, I thought nervously, picking at a thread on my skirt.</p>
<p>
The Hogwarts Express pulled away from the platform, chugging down the tracks towards Hogwarts, the place I really considered home. I heard students moving up and down the hallway, but after several minutes, I was still alone in my compartment. I was now starting to get seriously worried that something bad had happened to them during the Death Eater attack at the Quidditch game.</p>
<p>
I finally decided to go looking for them. Standing up, I left my now-empty compartment and walked down the hall until I saw Rheya’s auburn hair through a compartment window. Her eyes flicked up and saw me through the glass. She quickly looked away as if she wanted to pretend that she hadn’t seen me.</p>
<p>
I opened the door and there they all were; Cinxia and Damion on one side, Rheya on the other, as well as three other Slytherin boys from the Quidditch team occupying the remaining seats.</p>
<p>
“Hey,” I said, trying to gage their behaviour.</p>
<p>
“Hey,” Damion mumbled. “You good? You kind of disappeared before shit started going down at the Tournament.”</p>
<p>
“Yeah, I was just returning those Omniculars to Draco,” I answered cautiously. “And then… everything started happening.”</p>
<p>
“Where did you go?”<br/>
“I ended up spending the night at… it’s not important,” I trailed off, blushing. “I sent letters to all of you, but I never got an answer from any of you.”</p>
<p>
“Guess we didn’t get them,” Damion said.</p>
<p>
“Right. Is there a reason you didn’t come to our usual compartment?” I asked.</p>
<p>
“We just felt like sitting here today,” Damion said, shrugging his shoulders.</p>
<p>
Cinxia, who still hadn’t even looked at me, now spoke up. “You’re mad at us for not telling you something? That’s interesting.”</p>
<p>
“What the hell are you talking about?” I said, but I already knew the answer.</p>
<p>
“There’s no need to play dumb,” Cinxia replied.</p>
<p>
“Why would you lie about your blood status?” Damion asked, clasping his hands together and looking at me with what seemed to be genuine curiosity.</p>
<p>
“So who told you then? Draco?” I asked, knowing that it had to be him as he would have found out from Lucius.</p>
<p>
“Actually,” Cinxia said, lifting her lip up into an unattractive smirk. “Rheya told us.”</p>
<p>
I turned to Rheya who was staring at her lap.</p>
<p>
“How the hell did you find out?” I gaped at her.</p>
<p>
“You know Rheya’s father works at the Ministry,” Cinxia answered for her. “And of course the whole Ministry knows.”</p>
<p>
Rheya lifted her head and almost looked as if she wanted to say something, but Cinxia shot her a glare that silenced her up.</p>
<p>
“It’s not that big a deal,” I snapped. “There are plenty of Slytherins now who aren’t pure blood. So what if I’m technically a Muggleborn? I’m still a Cresswell. Honestly, who gives a shit?” The least I could do at this point was defend my own honour, but I could already hear my argument falling apart.</p>
<p>
“If it’s not a big deal, then why lie about it?” The boy who spoke up was Cassius Warrington, chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team.</p>
<p>
“You know exactly why,” I said, ignoring Cassius and directing my attention to Cinxia.</p>
<p>
“It’s just a fucked up thing to lie about,” Cinxia said, checking her perfectly manicured nails. “I mean either it’s such a big deal that you just had to saunter around for the past four years claiming to be one of us, or it’s not a big deal at all and we should just forgive you.”</p>
<p>
The sparks of anger shooting off inside my head prevented me from saying anything. Cinxia and I glared at each other, the tension climbing dangerously high, before Cassius abruptly stood up. He towered over me in the doorway and glared down as if I had personally wronged him.</p>
<p>
“Why don’t you go find somewhere else to sit?” he said.</p>
<p>
“Are you being serious right now, Cassius?” I shot at him.</p>
<p>
“This compartment’s full anyway,” Cinxia lilted. I still didn’t move and she finally said, “I guess we’ll just see you when we get to Hogwarts.” Rheya continued to stare down, and even Damion, who was normally so outspoken didn’t say anything.</p>
<p>
I backed out of the compartment and Cassius slammed the door shut.</p>
<p>
I took off down the hall towards my empty compartment, with my head down to hide my tears which were starting to overflow. My eyesight was now blurring and I fully crashed into someone who reached out to steady me. Not even checking to see who it was, I pushed their hand away and raced down the hall the rest of the way to my compartment.</p>
<p>
As soon as I reached the compartment, I closed the door and shut the blinds. Finally alone, I slumped against the door and let the tears flow freely down my face. I only had a few seconds to myself before a knock at the door made me jump.</p>
<p>
“Calla? Are you okay?” </p><p>POV: Bill</p><p>    I was running late.</p>
<p>
I wasn’t mad about it, not really, because it was for Charlie. I loved all my brothers, but Charlie and I had always had an undeniable bond, that we didn’t have to speak about but that we both knew was there. Despite having a big family, Charlie and I had been the closest out of all of our siblings. Percy had practically been born with the disposition of a 40 year old man and had never really taken Charlie all that seriously. Fred and George had eventually come along, but they mostly stuck to each other.</p>
<p>
Charlie had had a hard year last year and he was one of the reasons that I returned home from Egypt.</p>
<p>
I liked working for Gringott’s in Egypt, and I hoped to go back one day, but for now, this is where I needed to be.</p>
<p>
Striding quickly down the hallway of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry, I absentmindedly rubbed the spot on my arm that I had scraped on a broken tent pole while trying to get to Leucippe at the Quidditch World Cup.</p>
<p>
I reached my temporary office and saw that the door was already cracked open. I went inside and saw him already standing there, facing the window. He turned around and held out his hand for me to shake.</p>
<p>
“William. It’s good to see you. We have a lot to discuss,” Barty Crouch said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Hogwarts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla </p><p> </p><p>“Calla? Are you okay?” <br/>I groaned inwardly and ignored the knocking. <br/>“Calla, I know you’re in there.” <br/>Sighing, I stood up and opened the door. Leucippe walked in with a worried frown and took a seat. <br/>“What’s wrong?” She asked. <br/>I bit my tongue. “I thought everyone would’ve known by now.”<br/>“Know what?”<br/>I sighed again, and closed my eyes for a moment. If I was going to talk to anyone about any of this, it apparently wasn’t going to be with Cinxia, Rheya or Damion. <br/>So I told her as much as I could stomach: how my parents had adopted me as a toddler after my Muggleborn parents died but had decided to keep it a secret, especially as Death Eater activity was on the rise. How just yesterday the truth had somehow gotten out and I hadn’t received any explanation from my parents. How the people who were supposed to be my friends had rejected me as soon as they found out. <br/>“Oh Calla, I’m so sorry,” Leucippe said when I was finally done. She looked away, apparently unsure of what to say. <br/>That was fine. I wasn’t expecting her to have any sort of solution, but it was nice to finally talk to someone frankly about this. <br/>“Listen, Calla,” she said hesitantly. “Something as trivial as your blood status… that kind of thing doesn’t matter. Anyone who thinks it does matter isn’t worth your time.” <br/>I sighed again and looked out the window. Leucippe was a Muggleborn and I knew that in earlier years at Hogwarts she had received some hassle from certain Slytherins… but she was in Ravenclaw and at the end of the day, she could go back to a common room where people didn’t care at all about blood status. Where she could feel safe. <br/>“In Slytherin, it’s different,” I said. “Besides, they’ll never forgive me for keeping it a secret.” <br/>“If they’re really your friends, they’ll forgive you.” <br/>I sighed and rested my head against the window, too drained to talk about it any further.<br/>“So uhm, how did you end up at the Burrow?” Leucippe questioned. “I’m sorry we didn’t really get a chance to talk that night.” <br/>“It’s kind of a long story,” I replied, shifting uncomfortably. I hadn’t told Leucippe that I had gone to see Lucius on the night of the World Cup, and I doubted she would be too pleased to hear about it. <br/>“We’ve got time.” <br/>Deciding to give her the short version, I said, “after the game, I went to the Malfoys’ tent to return Draco’s Omnivulars. I ended up alone with Lucius in his tent.” Leucippe leaned forward, but said nothing. <br/>“One thing led to another and… we ended up hooking up a bit,” I continued, gulping as I played the night back in my head. “It didn’t get very far,” I quickly added, seeing Leucippe’s shocked expression. “This bloke came in out of nowhere and told Lucius that he had to leave. Then he saw me… I don’t know how he knew, but he told Lucius I was a Muggleborn. Lucius wasn’t too happy about that.” I gestured to the welt on the side of my face. Leucippe winced, looking horrified.<br/>“He basically asked me to leave,” I said. “As I was running, I lost my wand. There were these horrible noises coming from all around and people were Disapparating away, but somehow I managed to run into… one of the Weasleys.”<br/>“Who?” Leucippe interrupted, finding her words at last. <br/>“George,” I said, tersely, causing the corners of Leucippe’s mouth to lift the slightest amount. <br/>“He helped me find my wand, and we went back to the Burrow by portkey,” I finished. <br/>For a few moments, Leucippe looked out the window thoughtfully at the splatters of rain that were beginning to fall from the darkening sky. <br/>“This probably goes without saying,” she said slowly, “but it’s not safe for you to be anywhere near the Malfoys.” <br/>“Believe me, I have no intention of trying to see any of them again,” I said, reminded of the sting I had felt when Lucius had called me a Mudblood.<br/>Neither of us really had anymore to say about it, at least for the time being. <br/>The two of us sat in silence for a long time, snacking on food from the trolley and watching the fields and trees pass by. We talked idly about classes we would be taking, but I was too tired to hold up a real conversation anyway. <br/>“What do you think would have happened with Lucius?” Leucippe asked after a while, her voice very quiet. “If that man hadn’t walked in?” <br/>“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.<br/>Truthfully, I hadn’t given that particular detail too much thought, but Leucippe’s question forced me to think about it. What would have happened? It wasn’t like I had no experience. I hadn’t done anything with Lucius that night that I hadn’t already done with other guys. I had started getting more attention from boys at school about a year ago, but none that had held my attention for more than a couple weeks. Yet, despite my occasional boldness when it came to guys, I was still, for lack of a better word, inexperienced. Although I had been very attracted to him, I suddenly felt a surge of relief that things hadn’t progressed any further with Lucius.<br/>“Hey, do you want something that will take your mind off things?” Leucippe asked.<br/>I nodded, hoping I seemed at least a little interested. <br/>“But you can’t tell anyone,” she said sternly. She paused, dramatically. “Charlie told me that they’re bringing back the Triwizard Tournament this year.” <br/>“You’re kidding,” I said, my mouth dropping. <br/>“I’m really not.”<br/>“But the last Triwizard Tournament was way back in-”<br/>“Back in 1792,” Leucippe finished, nodding gravely. <br/>“Are you sure? I mean hasn’t Charlie always kind of had a weird sense of humour?” <br/>“He’s not lying,” she said. <br/>“It wouldn’t be funny if he was,” I said, trying to remember what little I knew about the Triwizard Tournament. “People died in those games.” <br/>“I’m sure they’ll make it much safer this time around.” <br/>“How does Charlie know this anyway?” I asked.<br/>“He’s involved in one of the tasks.” <br/>“What’s the task?” I asked, concernedly. <br/>“Er… I don’t know,” Leucippe said, furrowing her brows. “He wouldn’t tell me.”<br/>“Which schools will be competing?” <br/>“I don’t know.” <br/>“When does it start?”<br/>“I don’t know that either.” <br/>“Leucippe, sometimes talking to you gives me a headache.” <br/>“Oh!” She said, suddenly, her eyes lighting up. “He did tell me that they changed the age restriction. Now, you have to be at least 17 to compete.” <br/>“Perfect, I’ll make sure I’m first in line to sign up,” I said, sarcastically.<br/>A loud boom went off from somewhere down the train, making the entire cart rattle slightly.<br/>My heart thumped in my chest, as I was reminded of the sounds I had heard that night at the Quidditch World Cup. Leucippe and I stood up at the same time, grabbing our wands and facing the door of the compartment. <br/>Following the explosion, my ears anticipated the sound of screams, but instead, lighthearted laughter drifted down the hall of the train. Leucippe and I looked at each other, confusion clear on both of our faces. <br/>The compartment door suddenly sprang open, causing us both to jump, as a tall red headed figure ran inside, nearly crashing into me and Leucippe.<br/>“George?!” Leucippe shouted, annoyance ringing through in her voice. <br/>He slammed the door shut quickly and turned around, seeming to be as surprised as we were. His ears were slightly pink, his hair was messy, and the top couple buttons of his shirt were undone. <br/>“Good afternoon, ladies,” he said with a smirk. <br/>“What the hell are you doing?” Leucippe asked, her wand still raised. <br/>“Just a little game to pass the time,” George said, lowering Leucippe’s wand for her until she angrily stuffed it back into her pocket. “Don’t know if you can tell, but I think Fred and Lee might be winning.” He turned around and showed us the back of his shirt, which was covered in what appeared to be purple paint. It was also singed away at some parts, giving us a view of his back, which was just as toned and smooth as his chest. <br/>“Those explosive paint things you and Fred made back in third year?” I said, forcing myself to look away. “I thought McGonagall confiscated all of those.” <br/>“We might’ve found a few more lying around,” he answered, finally meeting my eyes. “Besides the explosions are very small, they just make a loud noise.”<br/>I didn’t answer and the two of us stood for a few moments, looking at each other, though his eyes seemed guarded. Leucippe cleared her throat and looked back and forth between us. <br/>“Well, I better go,” she said, a little too loudly, before slipping out the door and closing it. <br/>The muffled sound of Leucippe yelling, “don’t you dare, Lee!” drifted to my ears, but otherwise, I could scarcely register anything else.<br/>“How’ve you been?” George asked, putting his hands in his pockets.<br/>I made a vague gesture with my hand, motioning around the room while biting the inside of my cheek.<br/>“So you’ve heard?” I asked.<br/>“That you’re a Muggleborn?” he asked. “Yeah, what about it?” <br/>	“Don’t you care?” I sputtered, taken aback by his boldness.<br/>	As soon as the words fell out of my mouth, I realized I had been waiting for his reaction all this time. <br/>	He shrugged, and said, “No. Why would I?” <br/>“I don’t know,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. <br/>“Do you?” He asked, tilting his head towards me. <br/>“Of course,” I snapped. “This changes everything.” <br/>“Maybe the only reason you do care is because everyone has been telling you that you should.” <br/>That made my anger flare up momentarily. No one was telling me how to feel or act, but I suppressed myself from making a sarcastic retort anyway. <br/>I knew there were people who thought of the Weasleys as Blood Traitors, but there was a part of me that had been worried that George would think of me differently anyway, now knowing that I was a Muggleborn. <br/>“You know what Slytherin is like,” I finally said. <br/>“Are all of your friends from Slytherin?”<br/>“Not all.”<br/>“Maybe you should hang out with some people from other houses,” George said, running his hands through his hair. <br/>“Like who?” I asked, raising my brow at him.<br/>He flashed me a smile before looking away coyly and nodding his chin towards my suitcase.<br/>“You’re not in your Hogwarts robes yet,” he said, leaning against the door. “We’re probably going to be there soon.”<br/>I had almost forgotten that I was still in my Muggle clothes. <br/>“Can you give me a bit of privacy please?”<br/>He grinned and turned around, facing the door. <br/>“That’s not what I meant.”<br/>He lifted his arms and covered his eyes. “Don’t worry, I can’t see anything.”<br/>Not in the mood to fight, I said, “Fine, but if you turn around or open your eyes, I’ll hex you.”<br/>“I believe you,” he said, and despite not being able to see his face, I somehow knew he was still grinning.<br/>I rolled my eyes and turned to grab my robes. Glancing back one more time to make sure George was keeping his promise, I lifted my shirt over my head and wriggled out of my jeans. <br/>I ran my hands down my hips, laughing quietly to myself at the situation. I was now wearing nothing but my lacy blue bra and underwear, alone in a train compartment with the one person I had been trying to avoid all morning. Despite being almost completely naked, I felt oddly safe being alone here with him. Picking up my school robes, I turned to look at George and allowed my eyes to trail down his slender frame as he rocked slightly back and forth on his feet. True to his word, he never turned around and kept his hands firmly over his eyes the entire time. I bit my lip, still standing in only my underwear, and had the sudden urge to grab George by his shoulders, spin him around and pull his hands from his eyes.<br/>“Alright, Calla?” he said in a suggestive tone. “Need a hand?” <br/>I snapped out of my reverie and cleared my throat, quickly pulling my robes over my head. “I think I can manage,” I said. “Alright, I’m done.” <br/>He turned around and gave me a quick look over. “I reckon you look a bit better than I do right now,” he said, the corners of his mouth lifting playfully. <br/>“Sit down, let me help you clean that up,” I said, ignoring the blush creeping up my neck. <br/>George obliged and sat with his back to me. I examined his shirt carefully, brushing his hair aside so I could see the damage. I muttered a simple spell, and ran my wand across his shoulders, cleaning up the majority of the paint and repairing the rips and tears. After a minute, most of the stains were gone. <br/>“There,” I said. “I’d say we’re even now. You know, it might help if you didn’t throw explosive paintballs at each other.”<br/>“Speaking of which,” George said, standing up and peaking through the blinds. “I think we’re good.”<br/>George opened the door, stepped out into the hallway and immediately had to dodge an orange paintball that hurtled past his head. <br/>He quietly stepped back into the compartment and closed the door. <br/>“Maybe a few more minutes,” he said. <br/>There was suddenly a loud pounding at the door that made me jump. The doorknob rattled loudly and Fred Weasley entered the compartment, a bright yellow splotch of paint covering most of his neck and left shoulder. <br/>“George! Where’ve you been- ”, he cut off as he spotted me. “Oh,” he grinned. “Didn’t realize you were busy, Georgie.” <br/>“He’s not,” I said, rolling my eyes. <br/>“If you say so,” Fred called, already leaving the compartment. <br/>“So I’ll see you at school, yeah?” George said. “And hey,” he said, turning around as he got to the door, “don’t let them get to you.” He gave me one last smirk before disappearing down the hallway, towards the sound of Lee and Fred’s voices. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe </p><p>I felt a bit stupid for claiming to know so much about the Triwizard Tournament, which I really knew nothing about, except that it was happening. God, could Charlie have been any stingier with the details? <br/>Lost in thought, I didn’t notice that I was in someone’s way until I collided with a tall figure. <br/>“Oh sorry-” I started to say before his blond hair caught my eye.<br/>“Watch where you’re going, Mudblood,” Draco muttered, before taking off down the hall, followed by those two gorillas that always seemed to be flanking his sides. One of them cracked his knuckles as he passed by me. <br/>I rolled my eyes, and started to make my way back to my compartment, really not in the mood to deal with Draco or any of his goons right now. Before I got very far, a stray piece of their conversation reached my ears.<br/>“My father has told me that Durmstrang will be competing of course…” Draco was saying. <br/>My ears perked up at that, realizing that Draco likely knew of the Triwizard Tournament, given that his father worked at the Ministry. Looking at Draco’s retreating back, I wondered if he was telling the truth, or just making claims to seem smart. <br/>I didn’t know much about Durmstrang - no one did - but their reputation wasn’t the best. Located somewhere in Eastern Europe, they were one of the few wizarding schools in the world that actually taught their students how to use dark magic. <br/>Completely lost in thought, I didn’t even realize that someone was speaking to me. Looking up, I saw a tall Gryffindor boy with shaggy brown hair and a dimpled smile. Cormac McGlaggen. He had always been a bit too cocky for my taste, but he was nice enough.<br/>“S-sorry?” I now said.<br/>“I asked if you were at the Quidditch World Cup,” he repeated. “Thought I saw you there.”<br/>“Oh, uh, yes,” I said, mentally kicking myself for being a stuttering mess. <br/>“Got pretty crazy, yeah?” he said, resting his arm on the wall of the train and leaning over me slightly. “Heard you took out a Death Eater.” <br/>“Well, he tried to take me out first,” I said distractedly, wondering how he would have known such a thing. However, my response garnered a handsome smile from him that made me look away nervously. <br/>A couple of third years came up the corridor behind him, trying to get around. <br/>“Maybe not the best place to chat. See you around, Leucippe,” he said, still smirking as he brushed past me and down the corridor. I was surprised he even knew my name.<br/>Before I could run into anyone else, I hurried down the hallway to return to the compartment I had been sharing with Luna.</p><p>****</p><p>POV: George</p><p>“What’s wrong, George?” Lee questioned as we trudged towards the horseless carriages from the Hogwarts Express. The pelting rain and raucous thunder was making me thankful that I wasn't with the first years, who would be arriving at Hogwarts by boat, assuming that they didn’t all drown.<br/>“I don’t exactly fancy taking a shower fully clothed, mate,” I answered, gesturing vaguely to the pouring rain. <br/>Truth be told, I was more than a little annoyed with Fred and Lee for interrupting me and Calla on the train. I had wanted to finally ask her about the night of the Quidditch World Cup; what she had been doing alone without her wand, how she had gotten hurt? <br/>I was grateful once we finally were able to get a carriage, but as we clambered on, I found myself scanning the throng of students for her hickory brown hair. The carriage pulled away however, before I could spot her. <br/>Through the mist and rain, the lights pouring out from the walls of Hogwarts shone toward us, inviting us home. The walls and turrets gradually appeared as the carriage passed swiftly over the Black Lake. <br/>Soon after, I was trudging with Fred and Lee through the entrance of Hogwarts, taking in the familiar sight of the grand staircase, high ceilings and warm lanterns. Once in the Great Hall, Fred, Lee and I passed by the other three tables to get to the Gryffindor table. I scanned the length of the Slytherin table, trying to spot her through the many students pouring into the Great Hall.<br/>“Oi, you hear me?” Fred said, patting my shoulder. <br/>“What’s that?” I asked, distractedly. <br/>“Peeves is already one up on us,” Fred said, pointing to the little poltergeist, who was hovering above a large group of students and pelting them with water balloons. Among them, I spotted Ron, who was looking particularly grumpy as water dripped from his hair and down his clothes. <br/>“He needed a shower anyway,” I said, pointing to him. <br/>Soon after, everyone was seated around the four long tables, uncomfortable in their wet clothes and shoes that were pooling with water. <br/>The doors of the Great Hall flew open and the chatting immediately died down as Professor McGonagall led the first years towards the front of the room, where an old hat sat on a wooden stool. Surprisingly, all the first years seemed to have survived the journey across the lake to Hogwarts. They huddled nervously together, looking around at all the older students from the four houses. The brim of the Sorting Hat opened, and it began to sing a song, just like it had done in my first year at Hogwarts. It sang a different song every year, so by the end, all the students burst into a raucous applause. <br/>As the Sorting Hat began sorting the first years into their houses, I again tried looking down the length of the Slytherin table. I finally spotted Calla, sitting all the way at one end of the table, wringing her wet hair out, as she faced away from everyone. The friends who she usually sat with in the Great Hall were nowhere near to be found, and she instead sat next to a rather rugged looking ghost. <br/>The red mark on her neck was beginning to fade by now, but the sight of it still made me clench my jaw in anger. The last thing I wanted to do was make her uncomfortable by questioning her about it, but I couldn’t help the tide of anger that spiked up at the thought of anyone laying a finger on her. <br/>Soon after the first years were sorted, our plates and cups filled themselves and everyone dug in. I kept stealing glances at Calla, who was picking at her food with a sullen expression on her face. At some points, she was looking forlornly at her usual group of friends, who were seated down the table. They didn’t know what they were missing out on.<br/> I was pulled out of my thoughts by Dumbledore rising to his feet and holding out his hands for the talking to die down. He clapped his hand together and said, “So, now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices.” He had to speak rather loudly over the sound of the rumbling thunder that was coming from the roiling clouds that dashed across the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. <br/>He looked thoughtfully around the room to make sure everyone was paying attention and continued, “Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees and and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs.” Dumbledore looked directly at me and Fred as he said that last part. Fred and I exchanged a glance. <br/>Dumbledore went on to remind the students about the rules for the Forbidden Forest as well as Hogsmeade, and then said, “It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year.” <br/>This made several students, Fred and myself included, stare at Dumbledore with horror-struck expressions. For once, Fred seemed to be at loss for words. Quidditch was a huge part of my life at Hogwarts, and I really couldn’t imagine how this year would go without it. <br/>I glanced once again at Calla, who looked about as devastated as I felt. <br/>Dumbledore, upon hearing the moans and gasps of shock from the students, quickly added, “This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-” <br/>But he was interrupted as a particularly loud clap of thunder sounded from the ceiling, which was now flashing with jolts of bright lightning. Several students screamed at the sudden noise and commotion taking place above us. <br/>A flash of light shot into the ceiling, dispersing the clouds and killing the lightning. I followed the direction that the spell had come from and saw Mad-Eye Moody, standing just behind the professor’s table with his wand aimed at the ceiling. He limped heavily into the room, his prosthetic eye swivelling around in his head. <br/>I had only met him a couple times and although he was supposedly as mad as a hatter, Dad actually thought pretty highly of him. <br/>Moody approached Dumbledore, muttering about the ceiling, and the two of them shook hands. Dumbledore, motioned to an empty seat at the table for Moody, who staggered over to it while taking a swig of something from a hip-flask. <br/>Dumbledore once again turned to address the students and continued his speech: “We are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year.” <br/>“You’re joking!” Fred blurted out, loud enough for everyone to hear. <br/>“I assure you I am not joking, Mr Weasley,” Dumbledore chuckled as the rest of the room broke out in laughter. <br/>I elbowed my twin in the side, but he was too wrapped up in what Dumbledore was saying to care. By the end of the rest of Dumbledore’s speech about the Tournament, we were both completely swept up in the possibility of winning. <br/>“At least now we know what Charlie’s been so secretive about all summer,” I commented to Fred. He nodded, a dreamy look still in his eyes. <br/>The thought of getting that amount of money was more than a little intriguing, and the idea of “eternal glory,” as Dumbledore put it, didn’t seem so bad either. <br/>Besides, there was at least one person, I wouldn’t mind impressing, I thought to myself as my eyes drifted once again to the Slytherin table. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe</p><p>Dumbledore’s insistence regarding the age limit for the Triwizard Tournament was enough to send the majority of the room into a cacophony of complaints and protests. I sat silently, sipping my pumpkin juice, without the slightest interest in even trying to enter my name. I would leave it to the Gryffindors. Luna, who sat to my left, was paying attention, but seemed generally unfazed as she continued chewing on her pudding. I reckoned she wouldn’t be entering either.<br/>From my seat, I couldn’t properly see the far side of the professor’s table, but I had a clear view of the man who had walked in moments ago, with his claw leg and swiveling eye. Once Dumbledore was able to quiet the students, he turned to the final topic of the night. <br/>“I would like everyone to give a warm welcome to Professor Alastor Moody,” he said, gesturing to the professors’ table, where Moody sat with a scowling look on his face. “He will be taking over for Defence against the Dark Arts.” <br/>The applause he received was rather subdued, as students were either too taken aback by his appearance or else too distracted by the news about the Triwizard Tournament to pay much attention anyway. <br/>“We have one more new staff member to introduce,” Dumbledore continued after the scattered applause had died down. “He will be teaching a special course offered exclusively to sixth and seventh year students as well as advanced fifth year students. This class entitled, Curse Breaking and Study of Dark Artifacts, will be a very unique course, and I would encourage many of you to take it.” <br/>I glanced down at my schedule, which was sprawled on my lap. I had signed up to take the course as soon as I knew it would be offered, despite not knowing who it would be taught by. I was about to find out. Shifting forward in my seat to try to get a better view, I listened intently to Dumbledore for whatever else he had to say. <br/>“Please give a warm welcome to Mr. Weasley.” <br/>Dumbledore stepped aside, and I was able to see the man sitting at the furthest end of the table,as he stood up and humbly nodded his head at the applause. It was none other than Bill Weasley. <br/>Fuck.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. First Classes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla </p><p>	I was standing in the top room of the astronomy tower by myself. A pale moon sailed overhead, and the light it provided came and went as the winds pushed the clouds across the sky. Peering towards the horizon, I noticed that the sky had a strange quality about it, as if it didn’t belong to any particular time of day.<br/>
There was a soft tinkling music playing from somewhere and a light tapping noise that I couldn’t quite identify. As I examined a silver telescope that was set up near the railing, I suddenly felt a pair of large hands settle on my hips, but for some reason I wasn’t scared.<br/>
I spun around and placed my hands on the chest of the red-haired man who was staring down at me with a wickedly handsome smile.<br/>
“George?” I whispered.<br/>
“I can’t keep away from you anymore, Calla,” he intoned, dragging his hands up to my waist.<br/>
Pulling me closer to him, he leaned down and pressed his soft lips to mine. I responded immediately, moving my lips against his and bringing my hands up to wrap my arms around his neck.<br/>
“Calla…” he whispered against my mouth.<br/>
The tapping noise grew louder, but I was too wrapped up in the feeling of George’s body against mine to care.<br/>
He ground against me as he sunk deeper into the kiss, dragging his tongue along my teeth. I responded by parting my mouth slightly, granting him access. I heard a low moaning sound and realized it was coming from my own throat.<br/>
One of his hands came to rest on my shoulder, while the other trailed down, dipping below the waistline of my pants and feeling the smooth skin beneath. I pressed into him further, feeling his hard chest against my breasts.<br/>
“Calla…” he whispered again, pulling away. “Shut that bird up.”<br/>
“What?” I asked.<br/>
“I said wake up.” But it wasn’t George’s voice anymore, and the hand I felt on my shoulder wasn’t his either.<br/>
The tapping sound was much louder now, and I swatted at the hand that was shaking my shoulder.<br/>
“That bloody bird has been tapping on the window for ten minutes,” Cinxia said, her voice edged with annoyance.<br/>
I groaned groggily and hoisted myself up, peering out at the dawn light that was just beginning to pour through the window. A dark grey owl was tapping noisily against the glass.<br/>
A dream. That’s all.<br/>
Rolling out of bed, I padded to the window to let her in. She squawked angrily at me, but lifted her leg to allow me to untie the letter she was carrying. Cinxia muttered something about wanting to kill that owl, before slipping back under the covers of her bed, facing away from me.<br/>
She had hardly spoken to me since the train ride, and it didn’t look like she would be speaking to me again anytime soon.<br/>
The dream that I had been ripped out of moments ago was fading fast, but I could swear that I still felt the ghost of his hands gripping my waist and playing in my hair. I shook the feeling off, wanting to pretend it hadn’t even happened. Like I didn’t care.<br/>
I glanced around the room and saw that both Cinxia, and my other roommate, Daphne Greengrass, had both gone back to sleep.<br/>
The letter was from my mother. Maybe now I would finally find out what had happened the week of the Quidditch World Cup. My whole world had changed once everyone knew I was adopted; from a Muggleborn family no less. I was owed at least some sort of explanation. My heart sunk just as fast however, when I opened the note and saw only a couple lines, sprawled neatly across the paper -<br/>
I expect you’ll be wanting to stay at Hogwarts this year for Holiday break. You’ve left your best dress at home - I’ll send it along soon.<br/>
Best of luck for your first week.<br/>
I flipped it over, looking for more of an explanation. I had no idea what she was talking about or why the hell I would need a dress. Tossing the letter on my bed, I pulled on my Hogwarts robes and ran a comb through my hair, deciding to get down to the Great Hall early before my first day of class.<br/>
After gathering my books for the day, I tiptoed down the stairs of the dormitory to the common room, which was beginning to brighten with morning light. The Slytherin common room only ever got so bright as it was in the dungeons, but I had always preferred the darkness and I thought that the waters of the Black Lake lapping against the windows were quite soothing.<br/>
Only a couple other people were up. I weaved around the couches and desks of the common room and pried open the door to step out into the long dark halls of the dungeons. True, the dungeons were a bit damp and dreary but they really weren’t all that bad - once you got used to them at least.<br/>
The Great Hall was almost empty, as I predicted. They were a few clusters of first and second-year Ravenclaw students, sitting at their table, chatting animatedly as they poured over their schedules. Otherwise, there were very few students at each table. Perfect.<br/>
I sat down all the way at the end of the Slytherin table, grateful for the solitude before the start of my first day.<br/>
I grabbed some toast and strawberry jam, then settled in to look over my schedule. I had Charms, then Transfiguration, followed by Politics and Magical Law, a course that I would be taking for the first time this year. It sounded like a difficult course, but I had immediately opted to take it instead of Divination.<br/>
My heart lurched when I saw my last class of the day: Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Moody. The class would be taken with the Gryffindors. I wondered briefly if George would be in the class; although I was a year younger than him, I had been permitted to take the advanced-level course, meaning I would be with the sixth year students. I was no Hermione Granger, but I was a pretty good student and since my first year, I had excelled at Defence Against the Dark Arts.<br/>
I went over my schedule again as more students began to trickle into the Great Hall. Before the Slytherin table could begin to fill up, I grabbed my books and quietly slipped out of the room. I still had plenty of time before the first class, and I had forgotten my quill anyway, so I made my way back to the dormitory, taking the long way to get there.<br/>
Treading quietly through the Slytherin common room, with my head down, I reached the stairs and ran up to my room.<br/>
I stopped short at the sight in front of me. The pieces of parchment that had been on my nightstand were torn up and scattered all over the floor. The bottle of ink that I usually kept there as well had been opened and emptied of its contents. Deep black ink dripped down the nightstand and splattered across the wooden floorboards. My bed sheets were a complete mess; splotches of dark blood stained the lavender coloured comforter, gleaming sickeningly in the sunlight.<br/>
My suitcase had been pulled out of its usual spot and had been tossed haphazardly onto the floor.<br/>
I stood, rooted to my place, for almost a minute, hearing nothing but my own heavy breathing and the blood pounding in my ears. I turned around slowly, peering into every corner of the room as though someone was waiting for me.<br/>
Alone.<br/>
The common room and hallway to the dormitory had been almost completely empty. Most people would be in the Great Hall or heading to class by now. My roommates, Cinxia and Daphne were both gone, their beds tidily made.<br/>
I approached my four poster bed cautiously, still feeling watched.<br/>
The dark red liquid that splattered the sheets was much too thin and translucent to actually be blood. It appeared to be red ink or juice.<br/>
Luckily, the heavy lock on the suitcase had prevented anyone from getting into it, at least.<br/>
Using my wand, I gathered the scattered parchment and balled up the sheets and stuffed it under my bed. I would deal with it later.<br/>
I had to get to class. </p><p>****</p><p>The first three classes of the day passed by in a quiet blur. The professors collected the summer homework and gave the usual speeches about the course expectations and assignment schedules.<br/>
I could barely pay attention; my Charms notes were untidy and incomplete. In Transfiguration, when I attempted to transfigure a bird into a clock, the clock ended up having a large feather in the place of the minute hand and feet with talons sticking out the bottom. This garnered a look of disappointment from Professor McGonagall and a stern recommendation to brush up on animal transfigurations.<br/>
Even my third period class which I had been looking forward to wasn’t enough to snap me out of my sour mood. The second I stepped into the classroom, I saw Cassius Warrington lean over his desk towards Adrian Pucey and loudly whisper something while visibly pointing in my direction.<br/>
This caused Adrian to turn around and stare, without even trying to be inconspicuous.<br/>
“Of course I heard, dimwit,” Adrian said to Cassius. “Everyone has.”<br/>
This caused the three Slytherin girls sitting next to them to burst into a fit of derisive snickers.<br/>
Rolling my eyes at them, I went to the other end of the room to sit next to a pair of Hufflepuff students.<br/>
I sat in my chair, fuming, for the rest of the class. I couldn’t get my mind off what had happened to my bedroom. Clearly it was someone’s idea of a prank, but I had no idea who. My first thought was of Cinxia, but honestly it was just as likely to be any other Slytherin girl. I prayed that I would wake up as if from some dark dream.<br/>
Speaking of dreams…<br/>
I suddenly remembered the vivid dream I had had about George the night before, causing a flutter in my stomach. I shook it off again, not wanting to let myself dwell on it.<br/>
As soon as the class was over, I gathered my things and left before anyone else even had a chance to get up. It would be lunch hour in the Great Hall right now, and as much as I wanted to go back to my room and hide for the rest of the day, I wanted to at least get some food before my last class.<br/>
As soon as I stepped into the Great Hall, I immediately noticed Rheya and Cinxia sitting towards the end of the table, eyeing me suspiciously.<br/>
This is fucking ridiculous, I thought.<br/>
What was I supposed to do? Hide for the rest of the school year?<br/>
I marched past the Slytherin table and made my way to the Ravenclaws, where Leucippe’s auburn hair was visible all the way at the end, close to the professor’s table.<br/>
Leucippe was picking idly at her food as her deep brown eyes scanned up and down the professor’s table, which was mostly empty. She looked up at me in mild surprise as I sat down across from her.<br/>
“Hey,” I said.<br/>
“Hey,” Leucippe said. “How are your classes going so far?”<br/>
I sat and spoke with Leucippe until we had to leave for our next classes. The knot of anxiety that had settled in the pit of my stomach throughout the day was now making me feel rather queasy as I walked towards Mad-Eye Moody’s classroom. After hearing whispers and receiving glares from fellow Slytherins all day, the last thing I wanted to do was step into a room full of Slytherin and Gryffindor students a year older than me. Straightening my shoulders, I forced myself to breathe.<br/>
I was done being intimidated. </p><p>****<br/>
POV: George</p><p>	“I’m just saying,” Fred said as we made our way to the last class of the day. “Imagine what we could do with the winnings.”<br/>
Fred had been prattling on all morning about entering his name in the Triwizard Tournament. Although it was starting to get on my nerves, I had to admit that he had a point. Plus, I reckoned that when it was time, I wouldn’t hesitate to enter my name either.<br/>
We both had Defence Against the Dark Arts as our last class of the day, and I was more than a little curious about how it would go. There were a lot of rumours flying around about Moody, but Dad maintained that he was quite brilliant and an excellent auror.<br/>
Entering the classroom, I saw Lee Jordan already seated at one of the many two-student desks. Fred and I glanced at each other before racing to get to the empty seat next to him. Despite not being particularly vocal about his good grades, Lee had always done really well in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Fred got there first, which garnered a triumphant look from him and a defeated sigh from me as I settled into the empty desk behind them.<br/>
Most of the seats were filled by now and everyone was unusually quiet as we waited for Moody.<br/>
“I’ve heard he can see out the back of his head with that glass eye,” Lee whispered to me and Fred.<br/>
“He enchanted it to make sure his enemies wouldn’t follow him,” I remarked, remembering Percy mentioning something about it.<br/>
“Completely bonkers,” Fred muttered.<br/>
The hand on the clock moved closer and closer to 2 o’clock, until the door to the classroom opened with only a couple minutes left to the start of class.<br/>
My heart sped up at the sight of Calla walking into the room and casting a nervous glance around at all the filled seats. The only free spots left were the one next to me and the one next to Cassius Warrington. I watched as she nervously bit her lip and made her way to the back of the room.<br/>
She finally met my gaze and I made a gesture to the seat next to me. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she sighed and walked over, plopping her books on the desk.<br/>
“Only spot left, sweetheart,” I whispered. “Unless of course, you wouldn’t mind sharing a desk with Slytherin’s resident gorilla.” I nodded my head towards Cassius.<br/>
“Here’s fine,” Calla agreed, glancing back at him with a look of disgust.<br/>
Just as she sat down, the door slammed open once again and Moody limped in, giving the class a scrutinizing look as his glass eye swivelled around.<br/>
The class was dead silent.<br/>
“Put those away,” Moody snapped, and immediately, everyone shoved their books into their bags or under their desks.<br/>
He waited for the class to quiet down again.<br/>
“My name is Professor Alastor Moody. Ex-auror. Your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.” His voice was harsh and aggressive and he had a look on his face like he distrusted all of us. In fact, he probably did.<br/>
“When it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in a practical approach. You need to know what you’re up against,” he continued, as he scratched his name onto the blackboard. “So that by the time I leave, you have the skill sets needed to fight what’s out there.”<br/>
Lee shot his hand into the air and immediately asked, “You won’t be here next year?”<br/>
Moody’s eye swivelled around to look at Lee. “I’m here as a favour to Dumbledore. After this year, I’m going back into retirement. Any questions?”<br/>
But no one spoke again.<br/>
“Let’s go over some curses,” Moody said, taking a step towards us. “Which one shall we see first?”<br/>
By the end of the class I was hanging onto every word Moody said. As much as I liked Lupin as a professor, I felt fairly certain that Moody was the most interesting professor I had ever had at Hogwarts. He was definitely the craziest, but it seemed to make him a better teacher.<br/>
It was almost enough to take my mind off Calla.<br/>
Toward the end of the class, I glanced over at her. She seemed to be just as mesmerized as I was, and she seemed to be in higher spirits than she had been at the beginning of the class.<br/>
“Later on, we’ll be doing some duelling,” Moody said a minute before the bell was to ring. “I want you each to revise and practise defensive spells with a partner over the next couple weeks. Brush up on anti-jinx spells.”<br/>
The bell rang and everyone gathered their books, talking excitedly about the prospect of duelling, which we hadn’t really done with Lupin. Lockhart had taught us a bit about duelling, but it had honestly been kind of a joke.<br/>
“One more thing” Moody added. “For your duelling practise, just work with whoever you’re sitting next to, I don’t want to have to deal with you all trying to find partners.”<br/>
I leaned in close to Calla and said in a low voice, “Guess I’ll be seeing you later.”</p><p>POV: Leucippe </p><p>The first three days of class were already hectic. My schedule was packed full and professors were not messing around this semester when it came to homework and assignments. I didn’t care if it made me sound nerdy, but I actually liked homework. In fact, I suspected most Muggleborns liked it. I hadn’t had the slightest notion that I might have magical abilities until I received my first letter from Hogwarts five years ago; ever since then, I took absolutely every and any opportunity to use magic that I could.<br/>
On the Thursday of the first week of classes, I sat nervously in the Ravenclaw common room during lunch hour, obsessively reading the first chapter of my textbook for my final class of the day: Curse Breaking and Study of Dark Artifacts with Bill Weasley.<br/>
I hadn’t had that class yet, and I had been nervous about it all week. I couldn’t even explain the nervousness. All I knew was that next time I saw Charlie, I would wring his neck for not telling me that his eldest brother would be working at Hogwarts this year. Plus, the last time I had seen Bill had been a little… awkward.<br/>
My queasiness rose gradually as the clock on the wall of the common room ticked closer and closer to 2 o’clock. I tapped my foot and chewed on the end of my quill as I sat on the couch, next to Luna and my friends, Rumina Tandel and Roger Davies. Rumina and Roger held hands on the couch as they chatted about the Triwizard Tournament. Rumina was a slim girl with very long black hair that looked striking next to her tawny skin tone. I had been friends with her for a while, and Roger too since she started dating him last year.<br/>
They all had a free period at the end of today.<br/>
“Are you sure none of you want to take this class with me?” I pleaded with them, exactly one minute before I had to leave.<br/>
“No way,” Rumina said, as Roger shook his head. “I plan on using this time to study.”<br/>
“Amongst other things,” Roger said, suggestively, grinning at her.<br/>
“I promised my father I would help him write articles for the Quibbler,” Luna said. She gave me an encouraging smile. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”<br/>
“Why are you so nervous for this one class anyway?” Rumina asked.<br/>
“No reason,” I said, before hastily collecting my things and rushing out of the common room.<br/>
Once I had made my way into Bill’s classroom, I purposefully took a seat at the far back of the room, next to a fellow Ravenclaw, Cho Chang. We greeted each other quietly before both turning our attention to the front of the room.<br/>
I hadn’t had any classes in this room before. It was quite small, with only enough seats for about 16 or 17 students. Heavy red curtains draped the tall windows, aside from one window at the front of the room where the professor’s desk sat perfectly in the center. Dying plants and various foreign objects were placed in the corners of the room and paintings of old, gaunt wizards lined the far wall.<br/>
What caught my attention however, was a small spiky metallic object sitting on the professor’s desk. It was the only thing on the desk, save for a few scrap pieces of parchment.<br/>
There was something interesting about the object but I couldn’t quite place my finger on it. I set my unblinking gaze on it, trying to figure out if it was something I had seen before. It didn’t have an obvious function, at least from what I could tell.<br/>
“It’s called a Dark Curio.”<br/>
The voice from behind me made me jump in my seat and whip my head around. Bill was standing at the entrance to the classroom, gazing around at all the seats that I hadn’t even noticed had filled up.<br/>
It was strange to see him in a more formal professor’s cloak, although he was still sporting his dragon-tooth earrings, and his forearm was wrapped in thick bandages on the spot that he had injured at the Quidditch World Cup.<br/>
“It doesn’t do much,” he continued once every face in the room had turned to him. “It’s sole function is to evoke curiosity. It’s really quite annoying if you don’t know what it is. You can look at it a hundred times, and every time it will appear slightly different.” He strode to the front of the room and picked it up, examining it.<br/>
“Not dangerous exactly,” he remarked. “Not inherently dark. Although, it’s considered to be a dark object based on how it’s usually used: to deceive, to distract, to drive a person mad with curiosity.”<br/>
He picked up the object and placed it into the drawer of his desk, then turned to face us.<br/>
“In this class, you will learn spells and enchantments to ward off dark energy and to break curses. Not only that, but you will learn the meaning behind these actions. What does it mean for an object to be considered a dark artifact and how can you use that knowledge? We’re going to learn about the art of curse-breaking, yes, but you must also know the intention behind most curses in order to really be successful.”<br/>
For such a young teacher, he really knows how to command a classroom, I thought to myself. Every eye in the room was fixed on him, and it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.<br/>
Terrence Higgs, a Slytherin boy in seventh year suddenly shot his hand into the air.<br/>
“Does this mean you’ll be teaching us dark magic?” he asked.<br/>
“This isn’t Durmstrang,” Bill said, as Terrence sheepishly lowered his hand. “But wizards often talk about light and dark magic. It’s not as simple as all that.”<br/>
“But you’re going to be teaching us curses?” Terrence pressed.<br/>
“I’ve been working at Gringott’s as a curse-breaker for the past two years,” Bill said, seemingly unfazed by the interruption. “Sometimes the best way to break a curse is to get into the mind of the one who cast the curse in the first place. But no, I will not be teaching you how to perform dark curses. I’m going to teach you how to break them. Now, let’s begin.”<br/>
The rest of the class was as stimulating as I hoped it would be. There was a decent combination of theory and practice, and Bill never talked down to anyone. At one point he mentioned that we would be practising dueling, which sent a murmur of excitement throughout the classroom.<br/>
Five minutes before the end of class, he gave us a written exercise to be completed for the next class. He walked up and down the room, looking over shoulders to check the progress.<br/>
He hadn’t looked at me directly for the entire class. But now, as he passed by me, he brushed his fingers across my desk and leaned down slightly.<br/>
“Hang back for a minute after class, would you?” he said, in a voice low enough that no one else could hear him.<br/>
I gave a small nod, and he moved on to the next desk.<br/>
Minutes later, the bell rang and as everyone stood up to leave, chatting amongst themselves, I took my time gathering my books and putting them into my bag.<br/>
Bill stood by the door, nodding his head at the students thanking them as they left the room. Finally, I was the last one left.<br/>
I was starting to lose my nerve, and I contemplated making a run for it. Then Bill turned his dark eyes on me.<br/>
“Leucippe.” He spoke quietly.<br/>
I pushed my chair and turned to face him, keeping my eyes fixed firmly at the wall behind him.<br/>
“I’m sorry I was a little… well, abrasive, the last couple times we saw each other,” he said, slowly, scratching the back of his head. To my surprise, he actually seemed a bit bashful.<br/>
I raised my eyebrows but didn’t say anything.<br/>
“I just worry about Charlie sometimes and you two have started becoming closer friends,” he continued.<br/>
“It’s fine,” I said, waving him off and offering a small smile. I knew what he was referring to.<br/>
He nodded at me and walked back to his desk. Taking that as my cue to leave, I turned around and stopped when I reached the door, suddenly remembering something.<br/>
“Professor?” I said softly.<br/>
He looked up.<br/>
“Maybe I could borrow that book you were talking about?” I said as sweetly as possible.<br/>
“Oh yes,” he said, once he realized what I meant. He strode over to a dusty bookshelf and reached for a small book with wilted pages. I reached out to take it but he didn’t let go of it just yet.<br/>
“Leucippe?” Bill said, looking into my eyes. “You don’t have to call me Professor. Just call me Bill.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Alone, Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Calla </p><p>Within the next two weeks after my first Defence Against the Dark Arts class with Moody, I had switched almost completely to sitting at the Ravenclaw table with Leucippe and her friends. As much as I wanted to be brave and seem unfazed, I just couldn’t handle the angry glares, snide comments, and vindictive snickers that followed me whenever I was around the Slytherins. I spent as little time in the Slytherin common room possible, opting to study in the library instead. <br/>I never figured out who had trashed my area of the dormitory. Part of me still suspected Cinxia, and maybe even Rheya, but I knew that it could have been any Slytherin girl. <br/>Cinxia had finally stopped ignoring me, but she only spoke to me in clipped sentences, and almost never made eye contact with me. <br/>I now sat at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall, munching on a piece of toast as the light of the early afternoon poured in from the large windows. Leucippe and her friends hadn’t arrived yet, but none of the other Ravenclaws seemed to mind that I was here. <br/>I suddenly felt the bench shift underneath me as someone settled their weight onto the spot next to me. I cast a glance over and was surprised to see Damion. He had at the very least been courteous with me, but we definitely didn’t spend as much time together as we used to. <br/>“Hello, Damion,” I said, keeping my voice cold and my eyes guarded. <br/>“Hey, how’ve you been? I haven’t seen you in a while,” he said, scratching the back of his head. <br/>“I’ve been just fine,” I answered. <br/>“Nice,” he said, looking away awkwardly. “Do you want to come sit with us?”<br/>Before I could answer, Cinxia came flouncing over with Rheya trailing behind her. <br/>“Come on, Damion, we have to get to class,” she said, with her hand on her hip. <br/>“But…” he started, casting a glance at me. Cinxia’s flashing eyes stopped him however and he sighed and got to his feet. “See you around, Calla.” <br/>The three of them left, but not before Damion threw me one more piteous glance. I went back to staring at the table, trying to convince myself that I wasn’t bothered. <br/>After a couple minutes, I felt someone sitting down directly next to me. <br/>Assuming it was Leucippe, I said, “You’re not going to believe what this bitch- oh.”<br/>I stopped mid-sentence when I looked up and was met with George’s blue eyes instead of Leucippe’s brown ones. He lifted a brow in amusement, causing my face to burn.<br/>“Sorry, I thought you were… nevermind,” I mumbled. <br/>“No worries,” he said, smirking, which only caused my face to burn even more. “So, I was thinking we should probably start practising that stuff for Moody’s class.”<br/>“Right… almost forgot about that,” I said, which was a total lie. <br/>“You know, most people have started already… have you been avoiding me?” he asked teasingly. <br/>I turned to look at him, and said, “No, actually, it seems like you’ve gotten paired up with the only other procrastinator in the class.” <br/>“Not the only one,” George said, leaning back onto the table as he gestured to the Gryffindor table, where Lee Jordan was scribbling furiously onto a piece of parchment. “His 800 word paper for McGonagall is due in five minutes, and he just started an hour ago.” <br/>“How does he get such good grades?” I said in wonderment. <br/>“Apparently, the time pressure makes him work harder,” George said, shrugging. “Now stop avoiding the topic.” He leaned in closer to me. <br/>“Alright,” I sighed. “When are you free?” <br/>“How about tonight at nine? In the astronomy tower?” <br/>The mention of the astronomy tower almost made me choke. <br/>“Uh, sure,” I said, looking away as if he would somehow know about that dream I had had of him just by looking me in the eye. <br/>“See you then,” he said, leaving just as Leucippe and her friends, Roger and Rumina arrived. <br/>“What did George want?” Leucippe asked, her dark eyes watching him go. <br/>“We have homework to do together.” <br/>Roger and Rumina moved closer together on the bench and began whispering to each other. Roger brushed Rumina’s hair aside and she looked up at him as she giggled at something he said. For some reason, it sparked a pang of jealousy in me. For them, being together just seemed so effortless. <br/>“Trust me, I know. You get used to it though,” Leucippe said, following the direction of my gaze. <br/>“Huh?” <br/>“The lovebirds,” Leucippe said, pointing at the blissfully unaware couple. “They’re always going at it. At least now we can be third wheels together.” <br/>“Sorry,” Rumina said, shifting away from Roger.<br/>“I’m not,” Roger said, planting kisses along her cheek. <br/>Leucippe rolled her eyes and focused her attention back on me. <br/>“Have you heard anything else from your parents?” she asked, dropping her voice. <br/>I shook my head. <br/>The Great Hall was gradually getting noisier as students piled in for lunch, but I worried that someone might overhear. <br/>“I’m sure there’s an explanation…” Leucippe said, trailing off. <br/>“Yeah, I’m sure there is,” I huffed. “I’m just not going to get one.” I pushed my plate away, suddenly no longer hungry.<br/>“We can figure it out,” Leucippe said, suddenly sounding determined. “Let’s start from the beginning.”<br/>I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. <br/>“All I know is that by the night of the Quidditch World Cup, at least one person knew I’m a Muggleborn,” I said, looking around to make sure no one was listening. “On the day we left for Hogwarts, it was clear that more than one person knew. Cinxia said something about… Rheya’s dad finding out because he’s in the Ministry?” <br/>“So it probably got leaked at the Ministry,” Leucippe said. “You’re parents both work there right?” <br/>I nodded. I didn’t want to be rude but I didn’t feel like this conversation was going to get us anywhere. <br/>Leucippe leaned forward, frowning in concentration. “Alright, here’s what we should do-” <br/>“What are you two talking about?” Roger asked, finally taking his eyes off Rumina. <br/>“Ancient Runes,” Leucippe and I said at the same time. </p><p>****</p><p>Later that night, I climbed the stairs to the Astronomy Tower, trying to convince myself that the pounding of my heart was just from the physical exertion and nothing more. <br/>I took a deep breath as I reached the top, gripping my books tightly in my hands. I stepped out onto the moon-bathed balcony, which was silent save for the low whistle of a late summer breeze. The silver telescopes that lined the railing glistened in the moonlight and gave the impression that I was surrounded by stars. <br/>The dream I had had of George not long ago drifted into my mind, but the more I tried to push it away the more it crept back. <br/>“Perfect spot, right?” <br/>I jumped at the voice behind me, and whipped my head around to see George leaning against the railing. <br/>He gave me a cocky grin and asked, “Did I scare you?” <br/>“Hardly,” I said. I was surprised at how steady my voice sounded. <br/>I plopped my books down on the big stone table in the center of the balcony and took out my wand. <br/>“What did you want to start with?” I asked. <br/>“I was thinking we could do some defensive spells first? I’m a bit rusty at the moment, so try to go easy on me,” he said, smirking again. <br/>“Not a chance.” <br/>“You try first then,” he said, digging his wand out from his pocket. “I’ll send some simple spells your way and you try to deflect them.” <br/>He moved away from the railing and the two of us stood a few metres away from each other in the traditional dueling stance. <br/>I quickly ran through the list of defensive spells that I knew in my head, determined not to let him get the better of me. <br/>George poised his wand and flicked it towards me, shooting a spark in my direction. <br/>“Protego!” I shouted, knocking his spell aside easily. <br/>“Nice,” George said. <br/>Once again, he sent a simple spark towards me. This time, I aimed it back towards him, hitting him square in the chest and causing him to fall almost all the way to the ground. <br/>“Not bad,” he said, getting shakily to his feet. <br/>“Want to try something a little harder?” I asked. My nerves were quickly fading as I became more comfortable with the prospect of tonight. Ever since my first year, Defence Against the Dark Arts had been my best class and I had always found confidence when it came to defensive spells, curse-breaking and anti-hex spells. <br/>“Like what?” George asked, a flicker of something that looked like nervousness crossing his face. <br/>“Have you tried the stunning spell?” <br/>“That’s not a defensive spell…” George said. <br/>“You don’t think Moody is going to test us on it at some point?” <br/>George looked uneasy, but took his stance anyway. <br/>“Stupefy.” <br/>I felt the force of the spell surge through me and to my surprise, it was enough to push George back several feet and make him fall to his back with a solid oof sound. He gasped loudly, too winded to talk, but he gave me a thumbs up to indicate that he was alright. <br/>“George?” I called. <br/>He lifted himself up onto his elbows and gave me an appraising look, his eyebrows raised in surprise and his mouth curled into a smile. He seemed almost impressed. <br/>He staggered to his feet and picked up his wand from where it had clattered to the floor. <br/>“I let you do that,” he asserted, smoothing his hair down where it had gotten scruffed up. <br/>“If you say so,” I lilted, putting my hand on my hip. <br/>For the next half hour we practised various dueling spells, finding each other to be fairly equal opponents, although I usually had the upper-hand when I was the one casting attack spells. <br/>At point, we practised the simple disarming spell, however, George seemed to be a master of anticipating it in just enough time to deflect it. Frustrated, I attempted to disarm him while he was looking away, but he easily flicked his wand and ended up disarming me instead. <br/>“Come on, sweetheart,” he said, winking. “It’s an easy one.”<br/>As much as I was attracted to his flirty albeit slightly arrogant side, I preferred being able to just have a genuine conversation with him, like when he had driven me home from the Burrow. The frustration of not being able to disarm him several times in a row was causing a bubble of anger to cloud my mind. <br/>Wordlessly, I flicked my wand and sent an incarcerating spell his way. A shocked look took over his face and he deflected it just in the nick of time. <br/>“Woah, give me a warning would you?” he said. <br/>“Right, I’m sure that all Death Eaters that attack us will give us a fair warning,” I retorted.<br/>“Good point,” George said. <br/>“Let’s try the Impediment spell next,” I said, smiling wickedly. <br/>“Don’t you want a break?” George asked. <br/>“Nope,” I said, aiming my wand. The last thing I felt was tired. <br/>“Impedimenta,” I shouted, once George was ready. However, the spell only made him stagger. <br/>“Let me try again,” I said. <br/>I cast the spell, but once again, it seemed to barely have any effect. <br/>He raised a brow at me as the boldness returned to his face. I resisted the urge to throw my wand at him,<br/>“I’ll give it a go,” he said. “Try to block it, okay?” <br/>I nodded and he raised his wand, yelling “Impedimenta.” <br/>I deflected the spell too easily and George frowned in frustration that his spell hadn’t been as effective as he’d hoped. <br/>“Well, clearly we’re both having trouble with that one,” George said. <br/>“I have my notes from Moody’s last class,” I said, gesturing to my books. “I’m pretty sure he talked about it. There must be something wrong with our wrist movement. Let’s take a look?” <br/>George nodded and the two of us sat down next to each other cross-legged on the stone floor. I spread the parchments with my notes out in front of me while George opened up his textbook on his lap. <br/>“You actually use the textbook?” I said, surprised.<br/>“No. But I thought you might, so I brought it just in case.” <br/>“Oh.” <br/>“Are these your notes from Monday’s lecture?” he asked. He leaned over so close to me that I felt his chest almost brushing my shoulders and I could feel the warm air of his breath ghosting against my ear. If it was anyone else in the world, I’d tell them to get the hell out of my personal space. <br/>“Yeah.”<br/>I bit my lip as he moved even closer and at this point I could definitely feel the hard muscles of his chest against my shoulder. <br/>“Do you want to try it?” he asked. His voice was low and rugged in my ear. <br/>“Huh?”<br/>“The spell.”<br/>Was he deliberately trying to make me feel agitated? Well, two could play at that game, I decided, snapping out of my haze. <br/>He pulled away again and this time, I didn’t let him have the upper hand. <br/>I leaned over him, pretending to check his textbook, and as I did, I rested my hand on his thigh close to his knee. He started to make a sound, but cleared his throat to cover it. I deliberately leaned forward even more, knowing that he could see down my shirt at this angle and that he could smell my perfume.<br/>“Right here,” I said, pointing to an illustration in his book. <br/>“What?”<br/>“The hand movements for the spell,” I said, innocently. I moved my hand back to his knee, this time just a little bit further up. <br/>I pretended not to notice the way that he shifted uncomfortably or the way that he casually adjusted his robes. <br/>“What are you doing?” he breathed. <br/>I finally pulled away and batted my eyes at him. <br/>“What do you mean?” I said, feigning innocence. <br/>“I… nothing.” <br/>He seemed genuinely flustered. I smiled to myself, pleased that I had managed to disarm him.<br/>“Ahem.” <br/>George and I pulled apart and whipped our heads around to see Professor Sinistra standing by the stairway of the Astronomy Tower. She crossed her arms as she looked down at us, stern-faced. <br/>“I’m not sure if you two are aware, but there is a class starting here in five minutes,” she said in a scolding tone. “Perhaps you should move it along.” <br/>George and I rose to our feet and mumbled apologies as we made our way past her to the stairwell. As soon as we passed the scrutinizing reach of Sinistra’s gaze, we collapsed into fits of laughter in the dark stairwell. <br/>	“Forgot there was a class there tonight,” George said, grinning. <br/>	Our laughter trailed off as we looked at each other, and suddenly the situation didn’t seem so humorous anymore. <br/>	“So uhm, how about we practise again next Tuesday?” I said, a little breathlessly. <br/>	George nodded. <br/>	“See you then,” I said, taking off even though he opened his mouth as if to say something. <br/>	Once in my dorm room, I collapsed onto my bed and shoved my head under the pillow, knowing it would be quite a while before sleep took me. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Leucippe </p><p>A couple weeks into the semester, a new student joined Bill’s class: Draco Malfoy. <br/>It surprised me that he would even want to take a class offered by Bill. It was no secret how Draco felt about the Weasleys, and I couldn’t imagine that he would learn anything that he would deem worthy of his time in this class. Yet, there he was in the seat in front of me and his textbook opened on the desk in front of him. Bill didn’t seem to mind this new occupant, although I knew full well the extent to which his and Draco’s fathers disagreed with each other at the Ministry. <br/>It made me uneasy. When I saw Draco, I saw Lucius, and it reminded me of everything that had happened with Calla. There was something dark about the Malfoys; it was obvious just by looking at them, even without knowing their history. To make it worse, Draco had chosen to sit directly in front of me, so it was impossible to ignore him. <br/>Towards the end of class, I could honestly say I hadn’t heard a single thing that Bill had said; I was just too distracted. He didn’t seem to notice that I wasn’t paying attention however. A few minutes before the bell rang, he walked up and down the rows of seats, handing back last week’s assignments. As he did, the class filled with the sounds of disappointed sighs and angry whispers. I guessed he was a hard marker. <br/>Bill finally reached my desk and began to hand the assignment back to me. He leaned down and said in a very quiet voice, “You’re the only one who got full marks. Keep it up.” <br/>Draco, who seemed to be the only other person who had heard him, glanced back and eyed me angrily as he gripped his own assignment so hard that it crumpled. </p><p>****</p><p>	After class, I decided to try to find Calla. The dungeons weren’t very far from Bill’s classroom, so I skipped down the stairs towards the Slytherin common room. I stuck as close to the wall as I could as I walked down the corridor, keeping my eyes to the ground. I usually tried to avoid coming to the Slytherin area as much as possible.<br/>	With my head down, I didn’t notice that someone was walking towards me until they struck my arm with their shoulder, so hard that it made me stumble backwards. I snapped my head around, expecting for whoever it was to at least apologize, as the corridor wasn’t even crowded. Instead I saw Draco, walking away, but with his face turned towards me, his lips curled in a derisive smile. <br/>“Watch where you’re going,” I snapped at him. <br/>	I clamped my mouth shut as soon as I said it. Where did that even come from? <br/>	Draco turned around and gave me a look of surprise before sneering as he looked me up and down. <br/>	“What did you say to me, Mudblood?” he spat. <br/>Crabbe and Goyle stood stupidly behind him, exchanging a glance, before taking on their usual stance by cracking their knuckles and glaring down at me.<br/>I steeled myself and put on the bravest face I had.  <br/>“I said, watch where the fuck you’re going,” I repeated. <br/>There was no going back now. It was also at this moment that I noticed that the hallway was empty. <br/>Draco’s face twisted into anger and he took a menacing step towards me. I stood my ground and resisted the urge to take a step back. There were plenty of people who I was intimidated by, but Draco simply wasn’t one of them. I mean, not really. <br/>“How are you doing so well in his class, huh?” Draco said, tauntingly. “Did you suck his dick?”  <br/>The vulgar statement made me jump in surprise and I couldn’t think of anything clever to say back to him. I glanced behind me, praying silently that a teacher would choose this moment to come patrolling the corridors. <br/>“That’s how you’re doing so well, isn’t it, Mudblood?” he continued. <br/>“No,” I said. “Not all of us have to do that.”<br/>Draco’s pale cheeks inflamed and he scowled at me as he spat, “What’s that supposed to mean?” <br/>“You would know,” I taunted back. <br/>At this point, I was done with this juvenile conversation and I just wanted to be away from him. I was quickly losing my nerve and wanted to kick myself for giving him the satisfaction of paying him any mind in the first place. I backed up, clutching my books to my chest, but Draco wasn’t going to let me get away that easily. <br/>In a flash, he lifted his wand and viciously hissed a spell that came surging towards me. Yelping, I threw myself to the side, just barely dodging it as my books clattered to the ground in a heap of parchment and quills. <br/>Even Crabbe and Goyle looked shocked at Draco’s actions and they made no move to help him. Draco raised his wand again but before he could send another curse my way, I grabbed my wand from the floor and aimed it at him. <br/>“Expelliarmus!” I sputtered. It was enough to send Draco’s wand sailing out of his hand and fling itself down the hallway. <br/>Draco watched it go and then whipped his head around to face me again, bristling with rage. <br/>“How dare-” he muttered, cutting himself off as he turned around and snatched Goyle’s wand from him. <br/>	Before I could react, Draco shouted an unfamiliar curse that struck me, hard. The solid ground met my shoulder, making my teeth rattle in my head as sparks flew in front of my eyes. I gasped for air, too winded to even take a breath and the ringing in my ears drowned out all other noise.<br/>I forced my eyes open, seeing only the scattered pieces of parchment I had dropped and someone’s black leather shoes passing swiftly by. <br/>The ringing in my ears dwindled to a low pulsing and I was able to make out the sound of footsteps and Draco muttering, “shit.” <br/>I squeezed my eyes shut again as I tried to sit up. The ground was swaying dangerously beneath me, and the entire corridor seemed to be spinning on its axis.<br/>A loud thumping noise made me jolt. <br/>Peering my eyes open, I saw the blurry image of someone grabbing Draco by the scruff of his shirt. The slim figure and long copper hair gave me a clue to who it was. <br/>“Get your hands off me!” Draco spat, trying to rip Bill’s hands away from him. <br/>Bill pushed him back until Draco was up against the wall, kicking to get away. <br/>Draco finally stopped resisting and glared at Bill angrily. “My father-” <br/>“Will be pleased to hear that you were losing a fight against a girl half your size, I’m sure,” Bill interrupted. <br/>That caused Draco to snap his mouth shut and glare defiantly at Bill, but he seemed to be done fighting. <br/>Crabbe and Goyle meanwhile, were backing slowly away, exchanging nervous glances with each other. <br/>Bill released Draco with a look of disgust on his face. <br/>“I assume you’ve been at Hogwarts long enough to know the rules?” Bill questioned him. “They’re not difficult to remember.” <br/>Draco held his tongue.<br/>	“No?” Bill asked, lifting a brow. “I’m pretty sure there’s one about not attacking people.” <br/>	“ I didn’t-”<br/>	“Detention, tomorrow,” Bill said, stopping him. “I’ll deal with you then.” <br/>	A flash of worry crossed Draco’s face, but he didn’t try to argue. <br/>The corridor had finally stopped spinning and my eyes were clearing, but the ground was still unsteady beneath me as though the entire castle was floating on water. <br/>The door to the Slytherin common room suddenly creaked open and a small group of first-years climbed out, gawking unabashedly at the scene. My face burning with embarrassment, I quickly gathered my books and parchment and forced myself to stand, leaning slightly against the wall for support. <br/>“Go before I change my mind,” Bill said to Draco, jerking his thumb, and ending their stand-off. <br/>Bill finally turned to face me and his face shifted to concern. I locked eyes with his, ignoring the sound of the Slytherin first-years scurrying away. <br/>I suddenly became extremely conscious of how I must be looking at that moment. My hair was a mess, my robes were covered in dust, and when I brought my hand up to my face, I could feel warm blood oozing from a gash on my cheekbone, where I had struck the ground. <br/>I started to back away, but stopped myself when the small movement caused the ground to tilt sideways again. In a flash, Bill was there, reaching out to steady me. <br/>“Follow me,” he said.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Progress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's a bit of a shorter chapter but I hope you enjoy :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: Leucippe<br/>
Bill’s office was quite small but it was styled discernibly to his taste. Tapestries of famous witches and wizards hung from the walls and various items and trinkets, presumably from his travels, covered every available surface. Black candles dripped wax at every corner of the room and the skulls of various small animals, both magical and non-magical, were placed carefully on a far shelf. In one corner, a cauldron sat brewing some potion I didn’t recognize and the fumes of lavender smoke that wafted up smelled of pine needles.</p><p>I sat on the desk, gripping the edge of it, whiteknuckled, despite the dizziness being almost gone. The edges of my vision still felt fluid and distorted, as though I was looking through a camera lens coated in water. I tried to blink away the feeling to focus only on my senses as I waited for Bill to come back. </p><p>He hadn’t said a word to me on our way to his office, and after sitting me down at his desk, had abruptly left again, instructing me to stay put. </p><p>As I waited, I quietly pondered my current predicament. By now, Draco would be telling everyone his version of the story, and I had no doubt in my mind that I would be described in a less than favourable light. I thought about the words he would say and how he would say them. Slut. Coward. Mudblood. </p><p>I didn’t understand why I had allowed myself to lash out at him. Draco’s actions didn’t surprise me all that much. Being disarmed by a Muggleborn had to have been humiliating for him. I smirked to myself, replaying in my head the moment when his wand had flown from his hands, leaving him furious and shocked.</p><p>“How are you feeling?” </p><p>I lifted my head slowly and was surprised that I was able to see Bill quite clearly.</p><p>“Fine, actually,” I answered. </p><p>“Drink this anyway,” he said, handing me a cup with a clear liquid. “It’s just a tonic to help with the dizziness.” </p><p>I brought it to my lips and gulped it down greedily. It was sweet and syrupy, and it instantly cleared my head. The room was no longer spinning at all and the blurriness that had been crowding my vision dissipated completely. </p><p>Bill, meanwhile, began collecting something from a high cupboard. The silence was unnerving me and I wondered how much of the altercation between me and Draco he had seen and heard. To be honest, I didn’t think I wanted to know. </p><p>Setting the cup down, I eyed Bill anxiously and hesitantly said, “I think I should go now, but thank you.” </p><p>“Stay for a minute,” he said, calmly. It was more a question than a command. </p><p>I nodded, languidly, his voice instantly making me feel less anxious. </p><p>A comfortable silence ensued as my eyes followed the movements of Bill’s hands. I lingered at the spot on his arm that had recently been covered in thick bandages. He was completely healed now, but I still felt a pang of guilt, as the only reason he had been injured in the first place was because he was trying to save me at the Quidditch World Cup. Coincidentally, that night had also been the last time that Bill and I had had a conversation with each other that lasted for more than two minutes. It somehow felt like it had happened a long time ago, but also like no time had passed at all. </p><p>He finally found what he had been looking for -  a small white ceramic jar. I did my best to hold his gaze as he walked over to me holding it. </p><p>“Do you mind?” he asked, gesturing to the gash on my head, which I had forgotten was even there. </p><p>I shook my head and allowed him to brush my hair aside so that he could see it properly. He inhaled sharply through his teeth and I wondered how bad it must look. The feeling of his fingers ghosting over my face, even for a moment, sent a tremor down my spine and my eyes fluttered shut. </p><p>“Did I hurt you?” he asked, pulling his hand away. </p><p>“No,” I assured him. </p><p>“This will just take a moment,” he said, bringing his wand up.</p><p>I wasn’t familiar with healing spells, but whatever he used seemed to do the trick. There was a slight spark of pain, which gradually gave way to a numbing sensation as the stickiness of the blood on my skin disappeared as well. </p><p>“So, three against one?” he asked, breaking the silence. </p><p>I looked down, not exactly knowing how to respond. </p><p>“That’s the problem with Ravenclaws,” he continued, amused. “You’re so worried about being clever that sometimes your common sense goes completely out the window.” </p><p>I suddenly felt so self-conscious that tears pricked my eyes. Not only was I less than pleased at him seeing me in such a vulnerable state, but I was embarrassed at the prospect of needing to be saved by him once again. </p><p>“You don’t have to help me,” I said, swallowing around a lump in my throat. I reached up to push his hand away. “I’m sure Ms. Pomfrey wouldn’t mind-” </p><p>“Like I said, a friend of Charlie’s is a friend of mine. Hold still.”</p><p>I sighed and waited for the choked up feeling to pass.</p><p>He put his wand down and unscrewed the lid of the ceramic jar. </p><p>I gave him a quizzical look and it occured to me that I was allowing someone who was essentially a stranger to heal an open cut on my face. Maybe he had a point about Ravenclaws not having any common sense. </p><p>“It’s just to make sure it won’t scar,” he explained, shrugging. </p><p>“What exactly is it?” I questioned. </p><p>“Don’t sorry, it’s nothing illegal,” he said, which made me lean away and narrow my eyes at him in suspicion. “You don’t want a scar on your face, do you?” </p><p>I allowed him to tilt my head back and brush some sort of clear paste onto the area where the cut had been. </p><p>“Where did you learn healing skills?” I asked. 	</p><p>“You’d be surprised what can happen on the job as a curse-breaker. It’s good to at least know the basics,” Bill answered. “Besides, if I had taken you to Madame Pomfrey, she’d have you on bed rest for a week.” </p><p>“Good point.”</p><p>Bill walked back over to the cupboard and pulled out a small handled mirror. </p><p>“What do you think?” he asked, passing it to me. </p><p>I held up the mirror and gasped. The cut was healed, leaving scarcely a mark, and the blood was completely gone as well. It was no wonder the injury Bill had sustained to his arm at the Quidditch World Cup had healed so quickly.</p><p>My reflection in the mirror stared back at me, wide-eyed and paler than usual. Physically, I felt fine, but the altercation with Draco had shaken me, especially considering that I had been doing everything I could to avoid him since Calla’s encounter with his father at the Quidditch World Cup. </p><p>“Wow,” I spoke, finally. “That’s much better. Thanks.” I handed the mirror back to him. </p><p>He stowed it away on a shelf, then leaned against the wall as if to say something else, instead of dismissing me as I thought he would. </p><p>I wondered vaguely if he was going to give me detention as well, but for some reason the idea seemed absurd. </p><p>“So what would you like me to do?” he asked.</p><p>“Pardon?” I said, bewildered. </p><p>“To Draco,” Bill clarified. “It’s the first detention I’ve given since I got here. Any ideas?” </p><p>“Most professors make their students write lines,” I said. “How about 'I will not attack people in the hallways'?”</p><p>“Filch mentioned something about hanging students by their thumbs,” Bill remarked.</p><p>“I don’t know if that’s-” </p><p>“Maybe a couple hours would do the trick.” </p><p>He grinned wickedly, and for a moment I wondered if he was even joking. </p><p>“If you really want to punish Draco, force him to spend time with Muggleborns,” I said, hopping down from the desk. Draco definitely deserved a somewhat barbaric punishment, but I hoped Bill wouldn’t get himself fired. </p><p>Bill’s face suddenly grew serious again.</p><p>“You should stay away from the Slytherin dormitories,” he said. </p><p>“I’m not scared of Draco.” </p><p>“It’s not about that, it’s about being safe,” he said, rolling his eyes. </p><p>“It’s plenty safe,” I argued. </p><p>“Why were you even down there?” he shot back. </p><p>“I was looking for my friend.”</p><p>“Who?”</p><p>I hesitated, wondering why he was suddenly so worried about who I was seeing, and why I was in the dungeons. </p><p>“Calla Cresswell,” I finally answered, tersely. </p><p>Bill’s face changed to a strange expression, something between worry and concern, and he tensed up almost imperceptibly.</p><p>“Calla Cresswell?” he repeated in a low voice. </p><p>“Yes… she’s my friend,” I said, confused. I didn’t know that Bill even knew who she was. Even though I had tried to convince Calla to take his class with me, she had been fairly adamant about wanting to stay in Moody’s class for some reason. </p><p>Bill looked down and shook his head slightly before handing me the ceramic jar.</p><p>“Here,” he said, shoving it into my hand. “Use it for a few days and it won’t scar.”</p><p>I glanced in the mirror again. </p><p>“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I said. </p><p>“Just in case,” Bill said, not taking it back when I tried to hand it to him. “And don’t worry about Draco. I’ll take care of it.” </p><p>****</p><p>The next day, I met Calla on the stairwell as I was coming down from my Transfiguration class. She seemed to be in a much lighter mood than she had been in a while, and she was uncharacteristically distracted. She had a look about her that was almost… daydreamy? </p><p>I hoped the other Slytherins had finally stopped harassing her for her Muggleborn status. Like all things, it would have to blow over eventually. As much as I was still curious about what was happening, I decided to let it go for at least a little while. There was no real way to get answers right now anyway. </p><p>As we walked down the stairs together in silence, I glanced sideways at her, suddenly remembering the strange reaction Bill had had at the mention of her name. </p><p>“So, you know Bill Weasley, right?” I said, wondering if perhaps, she knew anything about it. </p><p>“Huh?” she said, looking at me bewildered. “Oh yeah. He’s George’s brother… and Fred’s.” </p><p>“Right, but is that the only way you know him?” I asked. </p><p>“What do you mean?” </p><p>Before I could answer, we rounded a corner and almost collided with none other than Draco Malfoy. </p><p>I had no idea what punishment Bill had elected to give Draco, but he certainly seemed pale and drained - even more so than usual. He took a step back from me when he realized who he had run into. For once, he was alone.</p><p>There was no one else around, although the noises of students milling around the lower levels drifted up to us as we stared at each other, wide-eyed for a little too long, with Calla glancing curiously between us. </p><p>Draco opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead put his head down and darted to the side, taking off in the opposite direction up the stairs. </p><p>“Okay, that was strange,” Calla said, looking up at him quizzically. “What was that about?” </p><p>I was expecting there to be a lot of talk about the fight between me and Draco, but somehow, people didn’t really seem to know about it. The only other people who had seen it anyway, were Crabbe and Goyle, who no one had any reason to believe, and the small group of first-years, who had barely seen anything anyway. </p><p>“Don’t tell me you and Draco have a thing for each other,” Calla said, wrinkling her nose. </p><p>“The opposite of that,” I retorted. I took her arm and started back down the stairs. “Come on, let’s go and I’ll explain everything.” </p><p>****</p><p>POV:George</p><p>It had been a week since I had met Calla in the Astronomy Tower, and she had agreed to meet again tonight, before Moody’s class tomorrow. I had spent the week going over defensive spells in my room all week, determined to not seem weak in front of her. </p><p>Fred had thought that I was going mental, spending so much time on schoolwork, but when I told him it was to prepare for entry into the Triwizard Tournament, he had shut up about it. Him and Lee were the only other people in the class who might actually do better than me and Calla in the duelling lessons. </p><p>“George?” </p><p>I turned around to see the soft voice coming from Calla, standing at the top of the stairs to the tower. I smiled widely without realizing that I was doing it. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, cascading down her shoulders in waves. She had changed out of her Hogwarts robes and was wearing a form-fitting black shirt which scooped down low, and jeans that hugged her curves perfectly. She smiled back at me and for a moment and I forgot to speak. </p><p>“Hey,” I finally said.</p><p>“So,” she said, gliding over and stepping into the moonlight, which made her skin glow in an almost ethereal way. “What do you want to go over tonight?” </p><p>For nearly an hour, we practised defensive spells until I felt drunk on the night air, almost embarrassed at how giddy I felt, even though Calla was beating me at almost every round. It was possible I wasn’t fighting back as hard as I could have. </p><p>“Do you want to try the stunning spell again?” Calla called out to me after a while. “I know you want to make a good impression on Moody.” </p><p>“That’s not true,” I denied, feeling my face heat. </p><p>“Are you sure?” she teased. “I’ve heard you and Fred fawning over him.” </p><p>“Are you mad? He’s a raving lunatic.” </p><p>“That must be why you like him so much.” </p><p>“Alright,” I growled. “You go first.”</p><p>“Try to deflect it if you can,” she lilted, getting into the dueling stance. </p><p>I stood my ground, ready to deflect the spell from her. </p><p>“Stupefy!”</p><p>She was too fast. Before I could even react, I was propelled backwards by the force of the spell. My shoulders hit the ground, and knocked the breath out of me a little. </p><p>“George?” Calla’s worried voice rang clearly on the otherwise silent balcony. </p><p>I propped myself up onto my elbow, rubbing the spot on my shoulder where I had landed. </p><p>“George?” Calla called out again, approaching me. </p><p>I offered a weak wave of my hand in response. </p><p>Her brows furrowed in worry, she knelt down next to me.</p><p>“I’m fine-” I coughed, but the view of her face half illuminated by the moonlight as she hovered over me stole my breath again. </p><p>“You’re sure?” she smirked, now seeing that I was alright. </p><p>“Positive.” </p><p>“I think it’s almost time we leave,” she remarked as I sat up. </p><p>The time had passed far too quickly, but she was right - if we didn’t want to get detention from Sinistra, we would have to be heading out. </p><p>“You’re sure you’re okay?” she asked as I stood up, brushing the dirt from my jeans, now towering over her once again. </p><p>“Don’t flatter yourself,” I teased. “If your stunning spell was as good as mine, I’d be unconscious right now.” </p><p>She rolled her eyes playfully and spun on her heel towards the winding staircase. I followed after her in the darkness, following the sounds of her light footsteps. At the bottom of the stairs, students were beginning to collect, their arms full with telescopes, maps, and star charts.</p><p>Professor Sinistra strolled towards her class, ready to take them up to the tower. As she passed by me and Calla, she gave us each a stern look, but didn’t scold us as she had before. </p><p>I gently laid a hand on Calla’s arm and she looked up at me, widening her eyes in expectation. </p><p>“I think we made some really good progress today,” I said. “Even though your stunning spell could use some work.” </p><p>“Moody seems pretty unpredictable,” she said, looking away. “But I don’t think he’ll be too disappointed.” </p><p>“Don’t forget to have constant vigilance,” I said, leaning down, and saying the last bit in a mockery of Moody’s voice. </p><p>Calla giggled behind her hand, but her expression quickly changed to something much more tense and guarded as she looked behind me. </p><p>A tapping on my shoulder caused me to turn around. Rheya Parkinson stood, clasping a silver telescope and smiling shyly up at me. Although she was in Slytherin, I had spent some time with her in the previous year for a couple classes. As I recalled, she was fairly good at Potions and I had actually been lucky to have her as my partner for that class. </p><p>“Hey George,” she said, smiling sweetly. </p><p>I smiled back politely and greeted her. </p><p>“How’ve you been?” I asked. “I haven’t seen you around much.” </p><p>“Yeah, I’ve been pretty busy now that I’m a Prefect,” she said, beaming. </p><p>“Oh, congratulations,” I grinned. “We had one of those in my family, but he barely ever talked about it.” </p><p>She reached up to touch the ends of my hair. </p><p>“You grew your hair out,” she stated. </p><p>“Er, yeah,” I said, awkwardly. “Fred and I kind of had a contest and we just decided to leave it like this.” </p><p>Not wanting to ignore Calla any longer, I turned my head only to hear her retreating footsteps, just in time to see her short figure disappearing around a corner down the hallway. Her long dark hair whipped out of sight, leaving me standing there with a puzzled expression.</p><p>“Calla?” I called out, worriedly. </p><p>But she was already gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Lake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV: George</p><p>The next day, in Moody’s class, Calla came in late, and sat next to me as usual, but stared straight ahead without acknowledging me. <br/>	I didn’t know what to make of her sometimes. <br/>	I opened my mouth to say something so I could try to get her attention, but the door slammed open and Moody staggered in.<br/>	“We’re supposed to be taking turns duelling  this week,” he growled. “I trust you’re all prepared.” <br/>	As his gaze swept the classroom in a scrutinizing glare, several students shifted nervously in their seats and exchanged uncertain glances with each other. I tried to give Calla a reassuring look, but still she stared straight ahead and didn’t alter her expression. <br/>	“Who wants to go first?” <br/>	Lee’s hand shot into the air. <br/>	“Good!” Moody barked. “You can go first next week.” <br/>	Lee lowered his hand and let out a noise of disappointment. <br/>	“The Great Hall is… occupied at the moment,” Moody grumbled. “Duelling will have to wait until next week.” <br/>	Notably, amongst the plaintive cries of disappointment and objections, there were quite a few students who seemed more relieved than anything. <br/>	“Guess we’ll have to wait until next week for you to beat me at duelling, huh?” I whispered to Calla, trying to break the tension. <br/>	Instead of giving me a snippy remark, she just nodded her head and continued to stare towards the front of the room. <br/>	Moody lectured for the next hour, seeming more angry and gruff than usual; apparently he was more annoyed than his students were about the Great Hall being unavailable. <br/>	“What’s wrong?” I whispered to Calla near the end of the class. Her silence and haughtiness were becoming more and more concerning as the clock ticked on. <br/>	She finally turned to look at me and gave me a look that was almost sad. <br/>	“I’m sorry,” she whispered back. “I have to be wary around people who are friends with… certain people. I can’t trust almost anyone in Slytherin right now.”<br/>	“Anyone in…” I trailed off, bewildered. And then it hit me. <br/>	Rheya. She had been one of the first girls to turn on Calla when it came out that she was Muggleborn. I had completely forgotten. I remembered all the times I had seen her and Calla together in the previous year, whereas now, the two of them hardly ever spoke. <br/>	I was such a prick. <br/>	“She’s not my friend,” I whispered, looking at her pleadingly. <br/>	“It’s fine.” <br/>	A rather uncomfortable silence ensued and we both focused our attention back on Moody, who was in the process of warning everyone not to trust anyone at the Ministry. <br/>	“How about we practise one more time?” I said in a low voice. “Since now we kind of have a week’s extension?” <br/>	She kept her gaze in the opposite direction, but finally said after a thoughtful silence, “fine.” <br/>	“Meet me at the tower again tomorrow night?” I asked, trying not to seem too hopeful. <br/>	“Weasley!” Moody barked. <br/>	Call and I both jumped.<br/>	“Anything you would like to share with the class?” <br/>	“I reckon it can wait until later,” I answered as Fred snickered and gave me a sly look. <br/>	“Good,” Moody scowled, turning back to the blackboard. <br/>	As soon as the bell rang, Calla gathered her things and stood to leave. <br/>	“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she hastily said, before walking away. </p><p>****</p><p>POV: Calla</p><p>	It had been a few weeks since George and I first practised Moody’s spells together in the Astronomy Tower, and the time that passed did nothing to alleviate my confusion. We had met to practise once more, and although George had continued to be flirty with me, he had yet to make any sort of move. I wasn’t even sure I wanted him to. For all I knew, he was only being friendly to me because he felt sorry for me. <br/>	The way that he had spoken to Rheya almost confirmed my suspicions that he was simply charismatic with everyone. <br/>	Yet something about the way he had spoken to me on the night of the Quidditch World Cup, and then again when he had driven me home the next day had felt almost intimate. But it was gradually dawning on me that perhaps it had simply been an illusion - no more real than the dream I had had of him. <br/>	I lay on my four-poster bed, staring up at the ceiling, contemplating whether I should meet George in the Astronomy Tower that night. He had asked to practise once more before duelling began. It would make it our third meeting - if I chose to go. We were the best in the class; we really didn’t need much more practise to be prepared for the next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. When Moody had announced that we would be beginning duelling, it had sent a wave of nervous murmurs through the class, but glancing around, I didn’t see anyone who I didn’t think I’d be able to take in a duel. George included. <br/>	Should I go or not? <br/>	The temptation to stay in bed grew as the sky darkened and my eyes grew heavy. I was alone - Cinxia was probably down in the common room, as she usually was at this hour. <br/>	Just as I had that thought, the door swung open and two people stumbled into the room, giggling as they embraced each other. Based on the sounds they were making, it was my other roommate, Daphne, and her current boyfriend, whose name I honestly couldn’t even remember. <br/>	In the darkness, she pulled him towards her, drunkenly running her hands through his hair and hooking her leg around his waist. <br/>	Before things could progress any further, I coughed loudly and sat myself up. <br/>	“Oh!” Daphne exclaimed, startled that there was someone else in her shared room. <br/>	“Whoops,” her boyfriend mumbled, following Daphne’s surprised expression. <br/>	“Don’t you usually get back later?” Daphne asked, failing to hide the annoyance in her voice. <br/>	“Don’t you usually wait until the weekend to black out?” I retorted. <br/>	With a haughty expression, she flipped her hair back and dragged her boytoy out of the dormitory with her, leaving me alone again. <br/>	The silence was unnerving and  I decided to go to the Astronomy Tower after all. <br/>	With a disgruntled sigh, I climbed out of bed and gathered my things, knowing that I was leaving only because I wanted to, not because Daphne had asked me to do. Part of me wanted to stay, just to piss her off on purpose.<br/>	Instead, I padded to the door, and slipped silently through the dormitory, doing my best not to draw any attention to myself from the groups of laughing and chattering Slytherin students. <br/>	My thoughts flitted restlessly back and forth as I made the long walk from the dungeons to the Astronomy Tower. I had known George Weasley for years, and he had always been friendly enough. In my previous years at Hogwarts, the only time I really paid him any mind was when he and Fred pulled some sort of prank that the entire school would end up knowing about. Now he was on my mind almost constantly, and it was getting on my nerves. <br/>	I knew he was flirtatious by nature, but there was a tiny part of me that hoped that with me, it was genuine. <br/>	Yet every time I thought of him, slivers of doubt crept into my mind, cemented by the way Rheya had talked to him last week. I couldn’t recall ever seeing Rheya being flirty with anyone before. She was usually so shy; the way she had been acting around George was so… gushy. And the hair flipping was entirely uncharacteristic for her. To make matters worse, she had apparently been the one to tell Cinxia and Damion about my adoption and Muggleborn status. I hadn’t spoken to her since. <br/>	Maybe that’s why it had hurt so much to see her and George together. <br/>	Truth be told, I was more annoyed at the way that George had responded to her. I wondered if he just liked that kind of attention. <br/>	Seeing them together had started an aching in my chest that had yet to die down. It wasn’t even Rheya in particular that bothered me. But I wondered if George wouldn’t like someone like her. She was tall and long-legged and I couldn’t help but wonder if he would prefer someone who didn’t have to crane their neck just to speak to him, like I had to. Maybe he liked blondes? Maybe he wanted to date someone who was actually a pureblood? <br/>	“It’s just a stupid crush,” I whispered angrily to myself, gritting my teeth as I tiptoed over the grey stone walkway leading to the tower. <br/>	Stating the admission out loud, even with no one around to hear, both shocked and scared me. I hadn’t been interested in anyone in a while, and I wasn’t thrilled that this was the year that I was developing any sort of feelings. <br/>	No feelings, I thought. Just a little crush. <br/>	I approached the stairs to the tower and stopped just short of them. The more time I spent with George, the worse the crush would get. <br/>	I turned around to leave, only to see George walking up the hallway towards me. It was too late to escape, he had already seen me. His hair was a bit dishevelled tonight, and instead of school robes, he wore a simple plaid shirt unbuttoned over a white t-shirt. He smiled at me as soon as he saw me, his dimples adding to his boyish charm. <br/>	Get your shit together, I thought angrily to myself as my face was already flushing. <br/>	“So,” George said, stopping in front of me and smiling cheekily. “I was thinking we could try a new location tonight?”<br/>	“What do you mean?” I asked warily. <br/>	“Follow me,” he said, grinning and turning around to walk back down the corridor. He offered no further explanation. <br/>	I stared after him, incredulously, before sighing and following him. <br/>	For the entire length of the hallway, still he said nothing, and my trepidation grew as we wandered further and further from the Astronomy Tower, and down a long winding staircase. <br/>	“George,” I hissed. “Will you tell me where we’re going?” <br/>	“Just trust me.” <br/>	At the bottom of the stairwell, there was yet another hallway which was tilted almost imperceptibly at a downward angle. It occured to me that even though I had been at Hogwarts for a few years, there was always something new to be discovered. <br/>	Instead of walking the entire length of the hallway, George stopped abruptly about halfway through and felt around the stone wall. He reached out to tap one of the stones with his wand and it fell away, leaving an opening. <br/>	“What is this?” I asked. <br/>	“It’s a passage out of the castle,” George replied, seeming proud of himself. “Fred and I found it in the second year. We think it’s one of the ones that Filch doesn’t know about.” <br/>	“You think?” I said, teasingly, but I was actually quite impressed. “That still doesn’t answer where we’re going.” <br/>	Without responding, he dipped his head into the entrance and beckoned for me to follow. We walked silently down the gloomy passage, as the wall closed behind us. It wasn’t very long - I could already see a light up ahead, pouring in from above. <br/>	“Watch your step,” George said, reaching back to take my hand. He guided me up the stone steps and out into the glowing moonlight. <br/>	It took a moment for me to process where we were. <br/>	“We’re at the Black Lake,” I said, looking out at the still water. <br/>	“Pretty cool, yeah?” George said, beaming. <br/>	“I don’t know if I’ve ever been to the lake at night,” I said in wonderment. <br/>	The lake was almost like ice, it was so still, with only a few ripples skidding across the top as a light breeze blew by. The grassy slope of the hill that started at the base of the castle flattened out towards the edge of the water, so that there was a wide flat beach shielded on one side by the forest. The moon wasn’t full tonight, but it cast enough light that we could still see each other.<br/>I shivered slightly and pulled my sweater tighter around me. It was the beginning of October now, and although the summer had been rather long this year, it was starting to feel more like autumn with each passing day. The great oak tree that stood not far from the secret passage was already turning to shades of yellow and orange. <br/>George shrugged and walked a few paces along the beach. <br/>“I’ve come here at night before and never gotten caught,” he said.<br/>“You’d probably get expelled if you got caught.”<br/>“Definitely not,” George said, giving me a devilish grin. “Fred and I have been threatened with expulsion since our first week when we broke that window in the Great Hall.” <br/>I shook my head at him in amusement. <br/>“Ready to get started?” he asked.<br/>“R-right,” I stuttered, only now remembering why we were here in the first place. <br/>“Moody won’t go easy on us,” George said. “Did you hear what happened to Draco?” <br/>“Draco?” I asked, thinking back to what Leucippe had told me only recently.<br/>“Mad-Eye turned him into a ferret.” <br/>I frowned in disbelief.<br/>“There’s no way that happened,” I said.<br/>“You shoud’ve seen it,” Geoge said, his eyes glazing over. “It was spectacular. McGonagall was furious.” <br/>“If you say so,” I said, still not completely believing it. <br/>	For the next half hour, we went over all the spells that we had already practised, and I felt more and more confident with each round. I couldn’t deny that George had a knack for defensive spells, but most of the time, I had the upper-hand. The large expanse of the grassy beach gave us plenty of room to move around, and what’s more, we didn’t have to worry about being interrupted by anyone. <br/>	After a while, George walked over to me, panting a little, and said, “do you want to take a break for a minute?” <br/>	“Giving up already?” I teased.  <br/>	“No way,” he said, collapsing into a seated position next to the large tree. <br/>	I sighed and walked over, sitting down cross-legged next to him. He stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back onto his palms. I tried to ignore the prickling feeling that rippled across my skin as he sat so close to me. <br/>	We looked out at the water in silence for a few moments, watching as a great shape that could only be the giant squid moved under the surface not far from the shore. <br/>	“Have you ever gone swimming in there?” George asked, breaking the silence. <br/>	“No, and I never will,” I said. “I’ve heard there are Grindylows down there and who knows what else.” <br/>	“I tried to once, with Fred and Lee, but the squid pushed us back out.” <br/>	I shook my head at him. <br/>	“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who gets into as much trouble as you and Fred,” I remarked. <br/>	“We’re thinking of opening our own joke shop,” George said, running a hand through his hair. “After school, I mean.” <br/>	I raised my brows in surprise. But I had to admit, it actually seemed like an excellent idea for them. <br/>	“You’ve practically got one already,” I said, remembering how I had seen Fred just this morning selling Nosebleed Nougats to a couple of first-years. <br/>	“We’d call it ‘Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes,’” he continued. <br/>	“It’s got a nice ring to it,” I said. <br/>	“It’s just an idea,” George said. “There’s still a couple years of school left anyway.” <br/>	“I think it sounds kind of perfect,” I said, actually impressed that he had such a firm idea of what he wanted to do. “I think you and Fred would do a great job of it.” <br/>	“I’d like to make my own way,” George said, scratching his chin. “My parents wouldn’t mind if we all ended up at the Ministry like Percy, but that’s just not for me.” <br/>	“I don’t know if I can picture you and Fred in suits,” I laughed, thinking of the Muggle work attire. <br/>	“The only issue is, well, money,” he said, looking away. “We don’t exactly have…” he trailed off as his ears turned pink. <br/>	“You’ll figure something out,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. <br/>	“You think?” he said, turning to me with a hopeful expression. <br/>	“Definitely,” I said, truly believing it. <br/>	He smiled and looked out towards the lake.<br/>	“What is it that you want to do?” he asked. <br/>	“I’m… I’m not really sure,” I mumbled.<br/>	“Come on, you must have some idea.”<br/>I picked at a piece of thread on my sleeve and shifted my position on the grassy floor.  <br/>	“I’ve thought about maybe being an Auror,” I admitted.<br/>	“Really?”<br/>	“I know not many Slytherins go into it,” I said quickly. “And I know I might not have what it takes-” <br/>	“Are you joking?” George interjected. “You’d be an amazing Auror.” <br/>	“What?”<br/>	“I don’t know anyone who’s as good at Defence Against the Dark Arts as you are. Except for me,” he added, teasingly. <br/>	“Right,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I just don’t know though…” <br/>	“I bet you could give old Mad-Eye a run for his money,” George said. <br/>	I laughed and turned away, pulling my sweater tighter around me as the wind began to pick up a bit. <br/>	“I’m serious,” George continued. “I really think you should go for it.” <br/>	I didn’t know what to say. George was the first person who had really encouraged my idea of becoming an Auror without patronizing me. My Slytherin friends had practically laughed when I told them and questioned whether it was a job suited for a Slytherin. My mother had given me a disapproving look and suggested I go into something less dangerous; my father had nodded and gave me a quick “that sounds nice, dear,” before going back to his morning paper.<br/>For the first time, I really felt like this is something I would be able to do.<br/>	George looked out at the water again, and I took the chance to glance at his profile, which was illuminated by the moonlight. The light turned his hair into a fiery copper and cast shadows under his cheekbones and along his strong jaw. <br/>	Before I could change my mind, I leaned towards him, bringing my hand to his jaw and his lips to mine. <br/>	George tensed in shock for a moment, but responded almost immediately. I started to pull back, but he moved forward and continued the kiss, matching my movements, and bringing his hand up to tangle into my hair. <br/>	Although I had been the one to initiate it, he took no time at all in taking control, moving his soft lips effortlessly against mine, and bringing his other hand up to cup the side of my face. He pulled me towards him, making a soft moaning noise from the base of his throat as my hand travelled down to settle on his chest. Although I had already seen him shirtless, I was once again surprised at how toned he was. His many hours spent on the Quidditch field had certainly paid off. <br/>	My face flushed as his surprisingly soft hands brushed my hair to the side, and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. The night air suddenly didn’t seem so cold anymore. <br/>	I was making out with George Weasley… and he didn’t seem to mind it. <br/>	For a few moments, I was in pure bliss, thinking of nothing except for the physical sensations, his lips against mine, his hands on my skin, the heat of his body warming me in the cool breeze. <br/>It didn’t last long. <br/>A flash of doubt-field panic coursed through me, even as he pulled me closer still. How many girls had he brought here before me? Everyone thought the Weasley twins were players… maybe this is just what they did? Besides, the only reason he was kissing me back is because I started it. What if he thought I was just desperate? <br/>	Just as his hand was travelling further down to my clavicle, I ripped myself away from him, and his hands fell away. <br/>	I stared wide-eyed through the darkness at the collar of his shirt, not able to look at this face. <br/>	“I have to go,” I choked out, grabbing my wand and notebook and standing abruptly. <br/>	“Did I do something-” George stuttered, a little out of breath. <br/>	“No,” I interrupted, still avoiding eye contact. I prayed that the darkness would hide the redness of my face, my shaking hands, and the tears that were threatening to spill over. <br/>	“Then what-” George spoke again. <br/>	“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was a mistake.” <br/>	George gently grabbed my wrist as I turned to leave, mumbling my name, but I slipped away from his grasp. I raced up the hill, setting my sights toward the looming castle and not daring to look back. <br/>	“Calla!” George called out, desperately. <br/>	The wind carried his voice towards me, but I heard no footsteps chasing after me. <br/>	I didn’t stop until I reached the castle.</p>
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